New Blood III: Triumph of Darkness
by slickboy444
Summary: Third and final part of the New Blood series. Charles Xavier, Selene, and Sinister have been plotting against each other a long time. Now they stand ready to strike and seize control of the Inner Circle. But only one side can triumph. Multiple pairings.
1. Unexpected Guest

**New Blood  
Chapter 1: Unexpected Guest**

**AN: This chapter starts off nine months after the previous chapter.**

* * *

**Sinister's Lab **

It had been a long nine months for Mr. Sinister. Since he began his ambitious project with the help of Selene, every day was an agonizing wait for the next set of results. Each result yielded more promise. Each step was a step closer to his ultimate goal. It felt like a lifetime since he started, but at last his work had taken form and substance. Now the next generation of dominant species was within reach. It was so close he could taste it.

It was plan based on trickery and deceit. About nine months ago, he began secretly impregnating the female pawns with embryos he synthesized using genetic material from the male pawns. They then went about their lives, unaware that they were carrying the children of the next dominant species, until about halfway through the first trimester. Then he would call them in for a routine check up, extract the fetus, and place it in a bio-tank in his secret lab where he continued to watch it grow and manifest. In the specially controlled environment he created for them, he let the young fetuses grow and mature in a way they would not be able to in the wombs of their mothers. The key was to have them develop in a way that caused their mutant genes to manifest earlier. That way he would not have to wait until they grew and hit puberty. Once he had each mutant gene, he could go on to the next and final step. But first, he had to make sure the children were viable. There could be no mistakes at this point otherwise he may have to discard each specimen.

Overall, his secret experiment yielded twelve fully formed infants. Each had been born using specific pairings from specific pawns. There was a boy from Scott and Jean, a boy from Kitty and Piotr, a girl from Rogue and Pietro, a boy from Warren and Emma, a girl from Kurt and Wanda, a girl from Bobby and Jubilee, a boy from Sam and Danielle, a boy from Laura and Julian, a girl from Logan and Monet, a boy from Lorna and Alex, a girl from Tabitha and Roberto, and a boy from Warpath and Rahne. There were a number of failed combinations he tried, leading to about a half dozen failed specimens. But in the end these twelve infants would suffice. The only obstacle now was time and making sure Xavier didn't find out.

Along the way there had been some unexpected challenges. The most difficult was dealing with Selene. As the project progressed, she became more involved. She kept looking over his shoulders, demanding new reports and status updates at every turn. She cared little about the science and was primarily concerned with the potential of his young specimens. She claimed that these children and the perfect species he was hoping to make from them would factor heavily into her own plans. What those plans were, she still wouldn't tell him. But to her credit she helped him in ways that went a long way towards preserving his creations.

The key was deception. Charles Xavier had eyes and ears everywhere. He was constantly monitored and his every operation was scrutinized. Not a single kilobyte of data went unread by Xavier's security measures. Sage also frequently hacked his networks just to double check. While his measures were good, Selene's were better. She used her mystical talents to create illusions and false images for Xavier and Sage to see, hear, and even sense psychically so that they wouldn't know he was off at his secret lab working. Even his trusted assistant Hank McCoy couldn't tell the difference. It was a significant edge because he knew he was frustrating them. But as much as he appreciated Selene's help, their partnership remained tenuous. And at times, he had his doubts about her.

"Mr. Sinister, sir?" said Hank, interrupting Sinister from his train of thought.

"What is it, Hank?" he replied in a monotone.

"I have those charts you asked for on mutant cell development. I'm still working on the advanced rate of RNA and protein synthesis data, but I should have that soon as well."

"Good. Leave it on my desk. I'll archive it later," said Sinister, who didn't look up from his work.

Hank was silent as he continued to watch his mentor work. He was going on his forth day without rest. Most of the time, he didn't even get up from his seat. He just kept going over endless streams of computer data and looking into a microscope, observing and analyzing his various projects. He didn't even take time to teach him anymore. He just gave him a set number of tasks and a deadline for them and left him to his own devices. It was a far cry from the past few years where he looked up to him almost like a father figure. Now he seemed all but uninterested with him.

"Sir, may I ask a question?" said Hank.

"Can it wait? I'm busy," said Sinister, still not looking up from his work.

"No sir. I'm afraid it can't."

Sinister sighed and looked up at his pupil, who bore a serious yet concerned look on his beast-like face.

"I know there are a number of things you cannot tell me about your work," he said, "And I will not pester you to divulge such information until you feel the time is right. But these past few months you have completely pushed me and everyone else for that matter aside. You're not teaching me anymore. You're not even challenging me."

"I apologize if these past few months have been boring for you, but I'm sorry to say that this is how it has to be for now. And you know I can't tell you why."

"It has nothing to do with boredom, sir," said Hank in a firmer tone, "When I first came here I wanted to rid myself of my abilities. Then you who taught me to embrace what I was becoming. You also taught me that to embrace something you must understand it. I've learned so much in my time here, yet I have so many questions left unanswered. And I cannot get those answers by merely doing menial tasks!"

Sinister groaned in annoyance. As much as he liked Hank, the man could be a bit pushy at times. He had an insatiable need for knowledge and like it or not, he was the one who fueled that need over the years. He decided long ago that he could not involve Hank in his plans, but he still needed him. He was probably the only one he could trust in this chaotic organization. For that reason, he had to be careful with him.

"Listen Hank, I know these tasks I ask are not the most intellectually stimulating, but they are necessary for what I am trying to do," he told his pupil, "I don't need to tell you that I'm working on something big. And if I am to succeed I need your full cooperation and your expertise."

"I understand, sir. And I am fully willing to cooperate. But surely there is something else I can do! Something that involves more than just analyzing new data!"

Sinister sighed and thought about it for a moment. Hank wasn't going to let this go until he had something to work with. But what could he give him? If he learned too much then Xavier could just read his mind and blow his cover. He didn't have time for any sort of side-project and he couldn't afford to distract him to the point where he couldn't perform his tasks. So what else was there?

Then an idea came to him. Sinister looked back at the data on his monitor and then back at Hank. Soon an ominous grin formed on his face.

"Come to think of it, there is one task I can have you do…one that should prove quite challenging."

"What is it?" asked Hank with renewed excitement.

Sinister turned back to his computer and loaded a new program. He began typing feverishly on the keyboard, downloading and compiling a very special collection of files and data. Some were heavily encrypted and some were located on networks scattered throughout the Hellfire Club. But they all had the same purpose. Once the data was loaded, he began downloading it to a disk. Within a minute or so, an unmarked disk popped out of the computer.

"Do you remember what I once told you about the nature of evolution and extinction?" Sinister mused.

"Refresh my memory, sir. You told me much about those subjects."

"One in particular should be especially pertinent," he went on as he put the disk in a protective case, "When the dinosaurs went extinct 65 million years ago, there was another species, mammals to be precise, that were waiting in the wings to take over as the dominant species. In essence, they were evolution's great backup plan. Had they not been there then life would have reverted to simpler, less fanciful means."

Sinister then gave the unmarked disk to Hank, placing it in his large ape-like hands with a level of trust he could only have in a pupil such as him.

"I'm very close to my ultimate goal. But should something (or someone) disrupt it, I must have a backup plan."

"Is that what this is?" asked Hank, looking down at the disk.

"In a manner of speaking," said Sinister ominously, "But it's not quite the kind you expect. It's a bit more…elaborate. It involves doing something with DNA that has never been done before. I'm sure you'll find it a very stimulating challenge."

Hank smiled at such a challenge. It sounded like the kind of unorthodox yet advanced job he had become so fond of since he started working with this man. It would be a nice change of pace from what he had been doing these past few months.

"Thank you sir," he told his mentor, "I promise I won't let you down."

"See that you don't," said Sinister strongly, "A lot may be riding on it."

Hank nodded confidently and left his mentor to his work again. Upon his departure Sinister returned to his observations. Knowing Hank he would probably get started on his little project right away. It would give him one less thing to worry about. He just hoped he taught Hank well enough to take care of such a challenge.

Upon returning to his quarters, Hank inserted the disk into his personal laptop. Behind him Rahne was sleeping lightly in a chair with a blanket covering her. It had become a normal occurrence over these past few months. Rahne spent quite a bit of time with Hank, learning how to embrace her animal side and keeping him company in this cooped up, lonely lab of his. They developed a unique friendship. Some joked that she was like his pet because he kept coming to him for training and she returned the favor with loyalty like a dog would to a master. Neither of them ever gave that label much credence, but it wasn't a completely inaccurate portrayal of their friendship.

As Hank began going over the data, Rahne stirred from her light slumber and rose up. She was still in her casual wear, which consisted of less revealing underwear, from earlier in the morning. She was surprised to see Hank still up.

"Hank? I thought ye were going to try and get some sleep?" she said as she yawned.

"No time for sleep, my dear," said Hank with newfound energy, "Sinister just gave me a new project and I'm eager to get started."

"What is it this time? More blood work?" said Rahne, rolling her eyes.

"Not this time," he grinned, "This should prove much more challenging, not to mention stimulating. I'm afraid I'll have to keep my sleep to a minimum."

Rahne rolled her eyes and sighed as she walked up to her friend and leaned over him.

"That's too bad. Does that also mean you'll have less time to spend with me?"

"Perhaps," he conceded, "But we can always make up for it, my dear."

"Ye always be saying that. Can ye at least put this little project off until Lord Xavier and the other pawns get back from Japan? It may not be this quiet around the club for a while."

Hank turned towards her and smiled, giving her furry face an affectionate tease. He was fond of Rahne, more so than he let on. But it was a shared fondness. His work was his primary concern.

"We'll have our time, Rahne. That I promise you," he told her, "But for now, I must work. Sinister has given me a great responsibility. And I will not take it lightly."

"Fine," she pouted, "But I'll be holding ye to that."

"I would expect nothing less."

Rahne managed a smile before she left Hank to his work. He was a complicated man, but he was clearly very dedicated. Even if it was for a man like Sinister, there was something to admire about that. But it sounded like she was in for another long haul of Hank's chronic workaholism. When he got going on a project there was no stopping him. But at least it would still be quiet. And she had no intention of just leaving him alone like this. Somebody had to look after him and it was best if that one person wasn't Sinister.

* * *

**Kyoto, Japan – Yashida Tower **

Business for the Hellfire Club had been as good as ever these past few months. Charles Xavier and the rest of the Inner Circle were in the midst of a new round of expansion. The newer pawns were emerging as a powerful force within the Inner Circle. All had made it through the basic levels of training and had taken strongly to their new Hellfire identity. They were tougher, stronger, and more ruthless than they were when they first arrived. That naïve innocence they all once had was long gone, trained out by months of tough conditioning and selfish decadence. And because of this they were taking a more hands-on approach to their contributions at the Hellfire Club.

Some like Sam, Bobby, Lorna, and Jubilee showed an aptitude for field work. So they began going on missions with Scott. Their roles were limited at first, usually relegated to supporting him and the more experienced pawns. But as they proved themselves they were given more active roles like making personal contacts, sabotage, and occasionally roughing enemies up. Laura also took on more roles, but her experience and advanced skills allowed her to go on more dangerous and daring missions. She, along with Logan, quickly developed into the Hellfire Club's chief assassin. And despite her age, she was quickly gaining trust among from the Inner Circle. Kitty, Julian, and Danielle took on more business and executive positions, which they learned from the likes of Emma, Moria, Warren, and Monet. They became pretty adept at managing deals, bending people to their will, and carrying out orders. Their roles remained limited since they were still young, but their load would continue to grow as they matured.

Some of the other pawns were more difficult. Roberto, Alex, and Tabitha managed to get through training, but with only minimum proficiency. Their main problem was motivation. Even with Scott pushing Alex, he and the others just weren't as motivated to establish themselves. They were usually more concerned with doing their own thing, which at times was a little unsettling because some of their activities were unknown. But they didn't rebel as much anymore. They did as they were told, but only as much as they had to. Xavier and Moria continued to worry about them, but they had other concerns at the moment.

Lately, the Black King sought to tighten his control over various new operations. He and his associates had done much to gain influence over major institutions of power, both on a national and international level. They had politicians, central banks, and major corporate powers in their back pockets. But lately they had been more aggressively pursuing less visible forms of power and wealth. One of the trade secrets of the Hellfire Club and groups like it was that there was a great deal of power vested in the shady underworld of secret societies. They didn't hold the kind of influence politicians and leaders held. They influenced society from the bottom up through crime, religious cults, and fringe groups. And Xavier sought to take control of this lesser known yet equally important form of power.

However, gaining power in the shady world of secret societies was not easy and at times very frustrating.

"I believe I've made clear my objections to your proposal, gentlemen," said Charles Xavier as he sat at the head of a table in front of a team of Yakuza officials, "I have since offered my counter-proposal. It contains in it a number of compromises, but I will only go so far. It would be in your best interests not to push me."

"Do not attempt to deliver subtle threats, Xavier-san," said an imposing, middle aged Japanese man sitting at the other end of the table, "We are aware of your reputation and your methods. And we are not as easy to manipulate as your cronies."

"Believe me, my good man, if I wanted to manipulate you we wouldn't be negotiating in the first place. I am merely being reasonable," Xavier retorted.

"You are trying to bully us into taking a deal that robs us of our power! How is that reasonable?"

"I am not robbing you of anything. I am merely proposing a deal for mutual benefit, but it is a deal to be made on my terms. Not yours. And I strongly advise that you take it seriously."

The group of shady yet imposing men took a moment to debate amongst themselves. They were all clearly put off by this man. He wasn't a normal associate seeking a partnership. He and his team of young mutants were something else entirely.

For Xavier, it was a tense moment. He arrived in Japan with every intention on gaining a firm foothold in the Yakuza underworld. Apart from their criminal underlines, Yakuza had a long history of wielding power from behind the scenes. They were not unlike the Hellfire Club, only on a much smaller scale. He needed their secret contacts to tighten his grip on the world of secret societies. But they weren't making it easy for him. Yakuza were notorious for thumbing their nose at outsiders. They especially resented anybody who wasn't from a Yakuza family trying to control their operations. But the Yashida Clan had great influence within the Japanese underworld. If Xavier could get their support, then the other clans would follow suit.

Watching the negotiations from across the room were the Hellfire pawns. Scott, Jean, Logan, Emma, Piotr, Warpath, Rogue, Pietro, Kurt, and Wanda were all present. As senior pawns with extensive experience in dangerous environments, Xavier had them tag along to act as protection and as a display of the muscle the Hellfire Club wielded. Monet, Kitty, and Lorna were there as well, but they stayed further back, leaving much of the major dealing to the others.

"These people are weird," Kitty commented under her breath, "I'm not sure if they're negotiating or plotting."

"They're no weirder than some of my neighbors back in San Francisco," Lorna shrugged, "But I agree. There is something off about them. And I'm not just talking about their unusual taste for ambience in a meeting room."

"Don't look down upon their traditions, you two," said Monet, "My father once sat down with a group of Yakuza. They're much tougher than they look and they have a strong appreciation for tradition. All these paintings and relics you see lining the walls are meant to give them a sort of spiritual protection. But in this day and age they probably contain other surprise."

"You mean like traps?" said Kitty, trying to keep her voice as low as possible.

"Can't say it would surprise me," said Monet, "But we'll just have to wait and see now, won't we?"

Lorna and Kitty looked at Monet strangely. She was eerily calm when talking about a place that was potentially booby trapped. But she had the benefit of super strength and invulnerability. So it was only natural she wouldn't be too concerned. But they didn't have that luxury. Kitty and Lorna found themselves scanning the walls, looking for any signs of a trap. It was hard to see because they were so elaborately decorated. They included paintings, statues, and strange-looking lighting fixtures. Any one of them could be rigged. All they could do was keep watch while the others work.

The elder pawns, who were standing close to Xavier, watched with equal caution amongst the debating men. Standing particularly close was Logan, who helped set this meeting up. During his time in Japan, he dealt with the Yakuza a great deal. It wasn't the most pleasant experience, but it was a big part of his life. The Yashida Clan was a group he had a lot of personal experience with. It was in this clan he met Yuriko and for a while he thought about joining them. But that fell through pretty fast and they eventually turned on him. Now he was back and he had the upper hand for once. It was bittersweet and he acted as somewhat of a mediator during these negotiations.

"What are they talking about?" asked Jean, who couldn't pick up on their discussions since she didn't speak Japanese.

"Well some of them keep looking at you and the girls and wondering where they can get outfits like that for their women," Logan answered.

"Logan, be serious," said Jean, rolling her eyes.

"I am," he said with a wolfish grin, "But aside from the clothes, they see us as barbarians trying to hone in on them. They ain't used to dealing with anybody who can outmuscle them. They're even less used to deals not being in their favor."

"So you don't think they'll take it," said Scott as he cautiously processed the situation.

"Are you kidding? Some of these guys would rather cut their own dicks off," said Logan, "But they still gotta debate it. It's tradition."

"So what do we do if they reject it?" asked Pietro.

"What else? Go to plan B. And you know what that means."

They all picked up on the subtext of Logan's words. If these Yakuza weren't going to take them seriously then there is a chance they could try something. Most people weren't stupid enough to try and oppose the Hellfire Club, but as Lorna and Kitty observed these weren't normal associates. The more they talked the less likely it seemed as though they were going to take Xavier up on their offer. That could only mean trouble.

While they were talking, Emma and Jean were on psychic guard. Originally only Emma was going to come, but Xavier insisted on having an extra psychic just in case. The Yakuza were notoriously superstitious and one of those superstitions involved psychics. Many of their buildings had psychic shielding, both in the walls and through the use of spells. Even for advanced psychics like them, they were difficult to get around. But they remained vigilant.

'_Emma, I've been picking up some strange thought projections. Are you sensing them too?'_

'_Don't insult me, Jean. Of course I sense them. Now please stop talking to me so I can keep my focus.'_

'_Damn it, Emma, would you at least try to coordinate with me? Xavier brought us both along for a reason! We need to cooperate!'_

'_Sorry darling, but I don't coordinate well. Now get out of my mind so I can focus.'_

Jean muttered a curse under her breath. Emma had been a bit harsher than usual and for her that was really saying something. Things had always been tense with them, especially around Scott. He remained the only person she regularly associated with besides Xavier. It didn't sit well with Jean, but she and Scott rarely brought it up. The way they saw it she shouldn't have been bothered by it because she had a similar connection with Logan. But it still didn't sit well with her.

Amidst the tension, the men finished debating. Judging by the look on their faces they had come to a decision. And it didn't look promising.

"This is going to be good," muttered Pietro under his breath.

"Quiet!" ordered Warpath.

The opposing man from the end of the table stood up with the papers Xavier gave him in hand.

"We have discussed this matter carefully, Xavier-san," he said in a firm tone, "But we have decided that your proposal is unacceptable. We will not agree to this."

In a show of defiance the man tore up the papers and tossed them in front of Xavier, who was less than thrilled but remained calm.

"Are you sure you want to do this?" said Xavier in a threatening tone, "You'll be making a grave mistake by rejecting it."

"The only mistake we made was allowing you and your team of freaks to dishonor our organization by making such unreasonable demands!"

"Hey, you better watch yourself, pal!" said Rogue angrily.

"Do not try to sound tough with us little girl! We do not take orders from high priced whores!"

"Why you…"

Rogue was about to lunge forth and rip this man limb from limb, but Xavier and Kurt held her back. The Black King wasn't ready for this to break out into an all out brawl just yet.

"Easy Rogue," he coaxed, "Let's not get brash. These men have clearly not thought this through."

"Oh we have thought this though, Xavier-san!" said the defiant man, "And the time for such consideration is over!"

"Then you best be ready to accept the consequences," Xavier warned.

"Speak for yourself," the man grinned.

CRASH!

Before Xavier and his pawns could respond in any way, a deafening sound shattered the tension in the meeting room. A figure had broken through the glass window located directly over the meeting table. And just as the startled pawns looked up to see the figure, they were hit with something unexpected.

"Get down!" Scott instinctively ordered.

But it was too late. The figure threw down from the ceiling a lone object shaped like a bowling ball with strange blew wires sticking out of it. As soon as it hit the desk it activated. At first it looked like a bomb, but it didn't explode. Instead it 'activated' and suddenly Xavier and his trusted pawns were hit with a blinding pulse of bluish, purple energy. And as soon as it hit them they were left with a paralyzing surge of pain.

"ARGH!" Xavier grunted as he fell to the floor, "EVERYBODY! FALL BACK!"

"Ugh! Can't stand!" groaned Piotr, who was leaning on a chair for support.

"It…it's a disruptor pulse!" Scott yelled out, "Get as far away from it as possible!"

"Too late for that, luv," said the figure.

As the Hellfire pawns tried to recover, a feminine figure landed on the table just behind the disruptor pulse bomb. She was tall, lean, and well conditioned. She had purple hair, a red mark over her eye, and Asian features. She wore a tight fitting purple body suit that a bit revealing around her legs and backside, but very well crafted for her nimble frame. She had in both hands a couple of katanas and on her hip a couple of guns. She had all the marks of a skilled assassin and judging by how she was able to stealthily position herself over them, she was a good one as well.

"You! You're the one they call, Psylocke!" said the head Yakuza as he and his associates made a break for it.

"Nice to meet you too, luv. I'm here on orders. Compliments of the Hand!" said the purple haired woman as she set her sights on Charles Xavier.

While the men scrambled, Psylocke leapt over towards the other end of the table where Xavier was slumped over in a daze. He was clutching his head, trying to refocus himself. But in his current state he couldn't defend against her. So she had to act fast.

"The famous Charles Xavier," she said as she gripped her katana's firmly, "I'll dispense with the formalities and show you the way to Hell! Hyya!"

She lunged forth, the tips of her blades pointing right at Xavier's chest. But before she could deliver the death blow, Pietro Maximoff pulled himself together and sprung into action. His limbs and head were still sore, but he pushed through it and rushed at great speeds to save the Black King.

"Noooo!" he exclaimed as he lunged forth and pushed him out of the way.

But as he shoved him aside, one of Psylocke's blades plunged right into the speedster's left leg. Just above the knee. Blood and blinding pain soon followed.

"Ahhhhhhhhh!" he howled.

"Pietro!" exclaimed Lorna.

"Nobody does that to my brother but me!" grunted Wanda, who was clearly very angered.

Before Psylocke could pull her katana out of Pietro's leg, she was hit with a hex bolt that sent her flying across the room. She hit the wall hard, knocking over a picture in the process. But she didn't flinch for a second. She landed on her feet and gripped her other katana intently. She had a mission and she wasn't going to stop until it was done.

"Ugh, is that the best you can do?" grunted Psylocke.

"A little outnumbered to be making threats, aren't you?" warned Logan.

"Don't be so sure of that," grinned Psylocke.

Much of the pawns had recovered from the shock. Logan, Scott, Jean, Rogue, Emma, and Piotr were back on their feet and fighting through lingering pain to corner Psylocke. Wanda, Kurt, and Lorna were hovering over Pietro protectively, who was still in a lot of pain. And Monet was helping Kitty recover. They were ready to fight back, but so was Psylocke.

As the group of Yakuza officials slipped out through a back door, a group of masked men entered in their place. They swarmed the room as if they had been hiding in the shadows. And given how much shielding they had in this area the Yakuza probably planned this. Each was armed heavily with high tech rifles and katanas similar to Psylocke's. They all bore a similar ninja-like uniform and they all took aim at Xavier and his pawns.

"It's official. I hate Japan," groaned Wanda as she and Lorna stood protectively over her brother.

"You gotta be kidding me. You think these clowns can stop us?" laughed Rogue.

"Don't push it, Rogue. I know those uniforms anywhere! They're from the Hand!" said Logan.

"The Hand? You mean that team of assassins?" said Warpath, who kept up with such affairs.

"Bingo!" said Logan as he drew his claws.

"Then we best make our leave," said Xavier, who was helped to his feet by Jean and Emma.

"Oh please, how tough could they…" began Rogue.

But before she could finish, one of the assassins fired their weapon and a strange bolt of yellow energy shot out hit her point blank. It singed her uniform and caught her off guard. Even with her strength and invulnerability, Rogue was sent flying back and crashed right into Monet and Kitty.

"Ugh!" she grunted as she impacted a smaller table.

"Damn it, Rogue! You just had to say it, didn't you?" groaned Monet.

"Hnn…shut up!" groaned Rogue.

Now all the assassins prepared to fire. Scott instinctively took command.

"Everybody take cover and attack!" he called out, "Protect Lord Xavier and take them down!"

"Oh this is gonna be fun," grunted Logan, who wasted no time in tearing into the minions of the Hand.

Using his powers, Scott fired an optic blast the large conference table off the floor and knocked it over to provide cover for them as the assassins began shooting. The deafening bang of numerous high energy rounds echoed through the room. He, Jean, Emma, and Xavier took cover while Logan, Warpath, and Piotr made a daring charge towards the assassins. Logan leapt up high while Warpath and Piotr attacked low. Most of the assassins turned their sights towards Logan, who let out a feral roar as he descended upon them with his claws drawn in an attack position. Numerous rounds hit him, literally blowing some of the flesh off his body. But he ignored the pain and blood and dove head first into the first wave of assassins, slicing through their weapons and impaling several of them with his claws. This daring attack was shocking, but the disciplined assassins didn't flinch and kept firing. Warpth and Piotr guarded their heads, using their invulnerability to deflect some of the blows. They were more intense than expected and nearly knocked them off balance, but they kept charging until they collided with the guards. Once they were within reach, the grabbed anything that looked human and began snapping their bones like twigs.

As Logan, Warpath, and Piotr disrupted the first wave. Scott and Jean backed them up with attacks of their own. Scott fired a number of concentrated optic blasts at the assassins trying to hide behind statues and on the walls. Jean used her telekinesis to fling nearby debris at them. Most were nimble enough to dodge them, but then she turned their guns on them and they were less able to avoid the punishing blows. Lorna soon joined in as well, using her magnetic powers to destroy some of the guns and turn them against their users. She backed Wanda up while she dragged Pietro up to the table near Xavier. She managed to pull the sword out, but the pain was still agonizing.

"Ahhhhh! Take it easy!" Pietro howled.

"Stop being a baby!" said Wanda as she used her hex powers to close the wound.

"Easy Wanda, this is a serious wound," said Xavier.

"He'll be fine," she said with little concern, "He's Pietro. Keep him still. I'll be back."

"Wait! Aren't you going to stay with him?!" exclaimed Lorna, grunting as she disarmed several more assassins.

"I'd rather go after the cause," said Wanda, a dark rage in her eyes.

Wanda turned her attention to Psylocke, who had briefly taken cover behind a statue to avoid the initial onslaught. But now that they were busy with the other pawns, she saw her chance to go after Xavier again. But this time Wanda was standing in her way and she was not happy about her little stunt.

"Come on out and face me, bitch!" Wanda demanded.

"Bitch? Do they really teach you language like that? And here I was thinking the Hellfire Club was supposed to be sophisticated," said Psylocke snidely as she remained concealed behind the statue.

"They teach us much more than that!"

With rage in her eyes, Wanda summoned the mystical energy taught to her by her Mistress. She used a mix of magic and hex bolts to form a dark purplish hue around her body and with it, she formed two dark red fireballs in both hands. Then with a forceful gesture, she blasted the statue Psylocke was hiding behind to pieces, forcing the young assassin to duck out of the way and jump back out into the open. Wanda tried to blast her again, but she was able to use her ninja skills to avoid them, although she did get singed by one blast on her right shoulder.

"Bloody hell! Magic! I fucking hate magic!" she grunted angrily.

With the other Hand assassins backing her up, Psylocke leapt up onto a ledge near the ceiling, forcing Wanda to take aim upwards. When she fired at her she then leapt down, but in the process she took out a small smoke grenade, standard for most ninjas, and threw it right at her feet. Wanda was so focused with rage she didn't notice it in time to stop it. And when it exploded in her face, she was quickly blinded and forced to cover her mouth.

"Ack! Cheap parlor trick!" she said as she tried to get away.

Wanda broke out into a major coughing fit, but upon hearing her peril Kurt quickly left the side of Xavier and came to his love's rescue.

"I've got you, my love!" he said as he teleported her away from the cloud.

With Wanda out of the picture momentarily, Psylocke turned her attention back towards Xavier. He was still being closely guarded by Jean, Scott, and Emma. Lorna had fallen back as well to guard Pietro, who was still bleeding profusely from his leg wound. Logan, Warpath, and Piotr were busy keeping the assassin onslaught at bay. And Monet was tending to Kitty, who broke her arm when Rogue rammed into them. They seemed distracted enough for her to get another shot in. So she leapt up onto another statue overlooking the room, well above the ongoing chaos below. She then summoned her mutant ability to throw psionic blades, forming a lone purplish blade in her right hand. And then she took aim.

"Dodge this one!" she said as she prepared to throw it.

"Oh no you don't!" came a familiar voice.

Just as she got the attack off, Rogue flew up from below and tackled her from her vantage point. Her psionic blade was well off-target and she now found herself in the iron grip of a very angry Rogue. And she didn't take the same chance Wanda did. She flew her up to the area around the glass window where she broke in and squeezed her in a death grip, keeping her arms to the side and not letting her get any more of her weapons.

"Any last words before Ah snap your spine?" said Rogue with a triumphant grin.

"Yeah…ever hear of brains over brawn?" grinned Psylocke.

Before Rogue could react, she was hit with an unexpected psychic blast. Her head started throbbing relentlessly. She couldn't form coherent thoughts and couldn't command her limbs anymore. Even though she had a well-trained mind, she was unprepared and the telepathic onslaught put her in a world of pain.

"Auuugghhhhh! Mah head!" she cried out.

She lost her grip and Psylocke slipped out, landing on the floor near the opposite corner where the assassins held up, still firing relentlessly at their targets. But even though they had Xavier and his thugs pinned down, they were losing ground fast. Logan, Warpath, and Piotr were decimating their attack. Psylocke saw it in the array of mangled bodies that were piling up. They managed to obtain the element of surprise, but that was quickly wearing off.

"What are you blokes waiting for! Move in already!" she exclaimed, "Don't let them regroup!"

Only a handful of the assassins listened to her. The rest of them stayed back, trying to attack from behind corners and debris. But there they would only face the wrath of Logan, Piotr, and Warpath. It was quickly turning chaotic. Warpath sensed this and after snapping the necks of a couple of assassins he plowed through towards Psylocke, who was preparing another attack on Xavier.

"I don't think they're listening," he taunted, "Either you're one lousy leader or you're not a leader at all."

"Out of my way, pretty boy!" said Psylocke, showing another psionic blade.

"So you're not their leader," Warpath surmised, "Good to know."

Warpath began his attack, lunging towards her and attempting a sweep kick. Psylocke nimbly avoided him, jumping away and falling back. She was confident, but not overconfident. She knew she couldn't match him in terms of strength so she was going to have to outmaneuver him. Warpath tried to strike her again, doing a couple punch combos and a few kicks, but she kept avoiding him. Even with his reflexes she stayed a step ahead of him. Either she was just really fast or she was a telepath. And after what she did to Rogue, he was leaning towards telepath.

While Warpath attempted to take down Psylocke, the daring group of assassins that heeded her advice charged the others who were still barricaded at the other end of the room. As they moved in Scott, Jean, Monet, Wanda, and Lorna came out to greet them and repel their attack. Kurt and Kitty stayed with Xavier and Pietro, who was still unable to get up due to the bloody wound in his leg. Kitty carefully tried to cover the wound, using her phasing powers to help shots from the assassins go right through them. It aws tough going for her because her arm was clearly broken and her shoulder had been partially separated. But she ignored it. Kurt helped, but only to stop the bleeding. While this was going on, Xavier was kneeling next to them clutching his temples.

"Damn it, he's still bleeding!" said Kitty as she tried to apply pressure to the wound.

"Ack! Damn it, Kitty! Take it easy!" groaned Pietro.

"Stay still, Pietro. Zhis vill be over soon. Von't it, Lord Xavier?" said Kurt.

"It will," said Xavier, who was still concentrating hard.

"What are you doing, sir?" Kitty asked him.

"These assassins are well-equipped. They have some sort of advanced mental shielding built into their uniforms. It's how they got the drop on us. I believe I can break it and end this fight, but I need time!"

"You've got it, sir," said Scott as he continued firing relentlessly at the coming onslaught.

Scott and the other pawns got the message. They had to guard Xavier until he could launch a psychic attack strong enough to end this battle. So with Scott's leadership, they hunkered down and protected their king.

The charging assassins were met head on with the well trained Hellfire pawns. Two were cut down almost immediately by Scott's optic blasts. Their mangled bodies were used as morbid projectiles for Jean to throw at their comrades. Yet they kept coming and firing relentlessly at them. Jean used her telekinesis to shield them for the most part, but their rounds were high energy so it was hard to keep up. Wanda was able to help as well, deflecting a few that came her way. But she spent more of her time on the attack, casting hex bolts and spells that caused their energy weapons to explode and mangle their bodies before they could get too close. Those that did get close were met with Monet, who was showboating a bit with her skills, using her reflexes and strength to take down her enemies. Most didn't survive the first punch, but those that did had their necks snapped. The whole time, Monet didn't show a hint of emotion or remorse. It was part of the dark conditioning that had come to dominate her persona.

"Too easy," grinned Monet as one of the assassins cried out as she broke both his arms.

"Show off," muttered Emma, who was on the defensive for the most part.

"Look whose talking," she grinned as she took down more assassins.

Emma grunted in frustration as she fell back towards Xavier. She was now in her diamond form, leaving the telepathic attacks to Lord Xavier now. She took a more hands on approach and proceeded to slug a couple of assassins who tried to plow past her. They tried to shoot her, but her diamond shell was unbreakable. She only needed to shield her face and eyes and she was able to take the rest down with her firsts. And for those who tried to keep away from her, Lorna took care of them by using whatever metal debris she could to cut them down. And if the shrapnel didn't get them, Wanda finished them off.

Pretty soon, the Hand was running out of attackers. Their surprise attack was quickly becoming lopsided as the well-trained, well-conditioned Hellfire pawns showed no mercy in striking back. The longer they were stalled, the more time Charles Xavier had to break their mental defenses and end this whole battle with a thought. Psylocke knew this and realized she had to act. If she did not succeed in this mission then the consequences for her would be severe. But James Poundstar wouldn't let her get through. He kept attacking, forcing her on the defensive and keeping her from countering. He knew she couldn't match his strength or stamina. And he didn't have to take her down. He just had to stall her. If she was going to complete her mission, she would have to make a move.

"You're running out of time!" warned James as she avoided another heavy punch that left a dent in the wall, "I can do this all day! And you're running out of backup!"

"Thanks for the reminder, luv!" she said in frustration as she ducked another roundhouse kick.

"So why don't you just pack up and go home? You'll be doing yourself a favor!"

"Sorry, but that's not an option," she said sternly, "I'm not leaving until my mission is complete!"

"Suit yourself," said Warpath confidently.

He attempted another attack. This time he used his whole body, charging her and pinning her against a nearby wall. It felt like being pinned by a fully loaded dump truck. She could hardly breathe and was at the limits of her endurance. The look in his eye indicated he had no qualms about ending her right then and there. But luckily she was prepared for this just as she was with Rogue.

"Think you've got me?" she choked out, "Think again!"

With her free hand she formed another psionic blade. Then in one swift motion, she plunged the blade right into Warpath's left eye. Even with his reflexes and durability, he was blinded and stunned. He let out a pained howl as he fell back clutching his face, letting Psylocke go in the process.

"Augh! My eye!" he exclaimed.

While Psylocke slipped away, a couple of assassins moved in for the kill. But Piotr saw this and immediately rushed to his fellow pawn's aid.

"It's okay, comrade! I've got your back!" he said as he grabbed the two assassins from behind and flung them across the room.

"Forget about me!" grunted James, clutching his now bloodied face, "Go after the girl!"

But it was too late. Psylocke was moving in for another attack. Xavier was still trying to break through the mental shields. She could sense it with her own telepathy. She had to hit him first or this mission would be lost. Scott, Jean, Lorna, Monet, Wanda, and Emma were still busy with the remaining assassins. But as she moved in, they took note of her presence. Scott saw her first and tried to attack.

"There she is! Stop her!" he called out.

He tried firing an optic blast, but Psylocke nimbly avoided it by ducking and rolling off to the side. In the process she formed another psionic blade and flung it towards him. Scott tried to dodge, but he wasn't fast enough. The blade got a good chunk of his lower abdomen, leaving a bloodied wound in its path.

"Augh!" he grunted as he fell to the floor.

"Scott!" Jean called out.

Jean quickly came to her lover's aid. Ceasing her attacks and forming a protective bubble around her lover. She planned on making that bitch pay for what she just did, but a couple of assassins kept her from doing so. They tried to move in and finish them off, but she couldn't let that happen. While she went on the defensive, Emma took charge.

"Oh you know you're going to pay for that!" said the attractive blonde, still in her diamond form.

"Bring it, blondie!"

Breaking off from the group, Emma attacked the purple haired ninja. But as angry as she was at her for attacking Scott, she was unable to match her ninja skills. She tried to attack with a number of punch and kick combos, but she hit only air and occasionally a wall. Psylocke barely seemed challenged. Emma was tough, but a skilled fighter she was not.

"You're not very good at this are you?" taunted Psylocke as Emma smashed another statue instead of hitting her, "Bet it's hard learning how to fight when you spend so much time on your back!"

"Do you think lewd remarks will stop me?!" she exclaimed in a rage.

"No, but this will!"

Emma tried to hit her again. This time Psylocke countered. As the blonde vixen lunged past her, she took out a small metal disk she had tucked away in her uniform and slapped it onto her back. As soon as it made contact with her it activated, sending a paralyzing surge of energy through her body. Emma was then hit with an unexpected surge of pain that her diamond hard shell did nothing to stop.

"Ahhhhhhhhhhh!" she cried out.

Her limbs went numb and her mind froze, unable to focus or coordinate. As a result, she shifted out of her diamond shell and fell to the floor. Now she was powerless and vulnerable, unable to move or defend herself. She tried to reach for the disk on her back, but she couldn't. It just kept sending surge after surge of pain through her body. She was trapped and utterly helpless.

As Psylocke shot past her, her eyes once again set on Xavier, a couple of assassins who had survived an attack from Lorna and Jean struggled towards her. They didn't have their high powered energy weapons anymore, but they still had traditional arms such as a gun and knife. Their mission was to take down as many of these enemies as possible and while Psylocke had Xavier, they could focus on their own targets. And Emma could see them coming towards her. They were limping over, both visibly injured from what the others did to them earlier. But they were still determined, as was expected from a group like the Hand.

"Nnn…" Emma groaned, unable to slip away.

"Emma…" said Scott, still clutching the wound on his side.

Jean, Monet, Lorna, and Wanda were still busy finishing off the last of the assassins trying to get to Xavier. Rogue came in as well, although visibly weakened due to the psychic attack she suffered earlier. They were all preoccupied and unable to come to Emma's aid. But Scott saw the two assassins coming after her. One turned her over and pointed his gun straight at her face, which was still caught up in the pain. Acting on a whim, rushed to her aid.

"Scott wait!" exclaimed Jean, who was still trying to protect him with her telekinetic shield.

But he didn't listen. He ran into the hail of high powered rifle fire and blasted the assassin just as he was about to shoot Emma. This time, he made sure he wouldn't get up again. The second assassin, who didn't say a word, turned towards him then back towards Emma. He then grabbed her by the neck and put a knife to her throat. Emma, who was still paralyzed because of the disk Psylocke put on her back, could only watch as Scott stared the masked man down.

"Put her down," he ordered sternly.

But the man didn't heed his words. He continued to grip the knife and began backing away, ready to slit her throat at a moment's notice. But Scott wouldn't let him use Emma as a shield.

"Fine, you had your chance," said Scott sternly.

He then fired a well-aimed optic blast right at the masked assassin's head. It was narrow and concentrated so it just missed hitting Emma. And when it hit the assassin it nearly tore his head off. He fell limply to the floor, his body now a bloodied mess. Scott usually didn't deliver such cruel blows, but when it was necessary to do so he never hesitated. Once the assassin let her go, Scott caught Emma and dragged her back to safety. Along the way he turned her over and fired a light optic blast to stop the disk on her back. It ceased the shocks, which came as a great relief to Emma. But she was still out of it and very weakened.

"Emma! Emma, are you okay?" said Scott, ignoring the pain in his abdomen as he cradled her carefully in his arms.

"I am now," she said, managing a smile through her weakened state.

Scott let out a sigh of relief as he got behind the protective shielding of Jean's telekinesis. He maintained his protective hold on Emma and she soon succumbed to fatigue and passed out. There still a handful of assassins, but many by now had been cut down. Logan was still working on a few pesky survivors while Piotr helped Warpath recover from the shot he took from Psylocke. Lorna, Wanda, Jean, and Monet provided cover for Xavier as Kitty and Kurt watched over Pietro and now Scott and Emma. But the fight wasn't over yet. Psylocke was still determined to complete her mission.

She slipped in behind Jean's shield, using the remaining assassins as cover to get a clearer shot of Xavier. Her moves did not go unnoticed. Kitty and Kurt picked up on it and turned towards their king, who was still trying to break the shields.

"Uh Lord Xavier?" said Kitty nervously.

"It's okay, Kitty. I see her," he said, still concentrating hard.

"She's not going to stop," Kurt warned.

"Do not worry. This fight is almost over."

They took that to mean he was almost done breaking the mental blocks. Psylocke seemed to sense this and knew she had to make her move. She leapt up onto one of the few remaining statues hanging from the wall so she had a nice overhead view of where Xavier and his pawns were taking cover. She then formed two oversized psionic blades in both hands. If she was to make this shot lethal, she had to give it her all.

"Nothing personal, luv," she said to herself, "I'm just following orders."

She was about to fire her blades at Xavier. But just as she was about to she was tackled from her perch by a familiar presence. It was Rogue and she was looking for some payback for the psychic attack she suffered earlier.

"Ugh!" Psylocke grunted as she was rammed down into the floor.

"Remember me, sugah?" grinned Rogue, "Ah still got a migraine for what you did to meh!"

Psylocke groaned in pain. This time Rogue didn't take any chances. She hit her hard so she wouldn't get up. The impact knocked the wind out of her and left her limbs sore and bruised. She tried to get up, but this time Rogue had a much tighter grip on her.

"Stop!" she choked out, "I have to…do this! It's…the only way!"

"Not today, little miss ninja," said Rogue, "The only thing you gotta do now is take a nap."

Rogue then touched the young woman's bear face and used her draining powers. And what little strength Psylocke had left was drained. She let one last pained gasp as her body went limp and she slipped into unconsciousness. To her credit, she kept fighting. But Rogue didn't let go this time. She made sure she was knocked out completely. For someone to be that determined she must have been caught up in something. But she didn't concern herself with that at the moment. She already had enough to deal with because of her psychic induced migraine.

With Psylocke now out of the picture, the assassins didn't stand a chance. Now Xavier was free to finish the job.

"I've almost got it!" he said, still clutching his temples, "Just a little bit more…"

Then the Black King let out a hard grunt as a psychic wave erupted from his powerful mind. Suddenly, each remaining assassin let out a cry of pain. They dropped their weapons and ceased their attacks, clutching their heads in agony. Their bodies all began contorting and twisting oddly. They all acted as though their brains were on fire. Some of them started bleeding from the eyes and ears. It was a comical as well as morbid display. It lasted about thirty seconds until the last assassin stopped moving.

When all was said and done a heavy silence fell over the room. Xavier let out a tired groan and rose up to take in the sight. It wasn't the messiest meeting he had ever been a part of, but it was close. Usually people didn't get the drop on him like this, but secret societies had a special talent for setting traps. They were also much more resourceful, but even that wasn't enough in the end.

"Is everybody alright?" said Xavier as he collected himself.

"Depends on your definition, bub," grunted Logan.

Some cringed at the sight of Logan as he rejoined the group. Having gone head first into the hoard of assassins he took by far the most shots. His body was still bloodied and bruised. Parts of his adamantium skeleton were still visible. Most of his Hellfire uniform had been blown off as well. He was almost naked with only the remnants of his pants and shorts covering his lower body. But he was no worse for wear.

Others sustained injuries as well. Warpath was still clutching his left eye, which was still bleeding from the psi blade he took earlier. Piotr, who wasn't injured all that much, helped him stay coordinated. Scott's was also wounded, the shot he took to his abdomen still bleeding profusely. But it was nothing serious. Emma was out cold, the effects of the paralyzing disk still lingering and they probably would continue to do so for a while. Pietro, who bore the brunt of the surprise, had passed out by now. His leg was still bleeding from the stab wound he took from Psylocke. But his speedy metabolism was already in the process of healing it. Kitty was clutching her arm, which was clearly broken and mangled. When Piotr saw this he rushed to her side and let her lean on him. It was clearly painful, but she didn't let it show.

Everybody else remained uninjured for the most part. Lorna, Jean, Monet, Wanda, and Kurt sustained nothing more serious than a few cuts and scrapes. They managed to hold their own against the onslaught. Xavier expected nothing less from his elder pawns. Kitty, Lorna, and Monet held up nicely too. He had no doubts they would repel the attack, but there were some issues that remained.

"How in the hell did they get the drop on us?" grunted Logan as his body continued to heal, "I sniffed this place out from the beginning! There's no way they should have…"

"Easy Logan," said Jean, letting him lean on her a bit as he recovered, "Try not to get worked up while you're still healing."

"But you're right," said the Black King, "They shouldn't have gotten the drop on us. I sense they weren't expecting help from the Hand. It's why we were not able to sense the attack."

"So then why would the Hand attack us?" said Piotr.

"I'm not sure, but I have noticed with Cerebrum that many secret societies feel threatened by our expansion. The Hand is just one of many."

"Still pretty daring, don't you think?" said Lorna, "Just look at all the stops they pulled out."

"Indeed," said Xavier as he kicked away one of the high powered rifles, "I'm sure they had their reasons. But that is a mystery for another day. Right now, we have other concerns."

Xavier turned towards Rogue, who was holding the unconscious Psylocke in her arms. She was the only one from the attack left alive and she proved quite resourceful in her efforts. Such skill was worthy of admiration, but only to an extent. She still attacked them and would have to face the consequences.

"So what are we going to do with this?" asked Rogue, "Want me to drain her all the way too?"

"Now where's the fun in that," said Wanda, "I say we take her back to the Manor. Mistress Selene will surely have a good time with her."

"Ah'm sure you'd love that," said Rogue, rolling her eyes, "Do you ever think practically, Wanda?"

"Please, mien sister, lets not start another fight," coaxed Kurt, defending Wanda like he always did.

"Sorry, it's this damn migraine!" groaned Rogue, "Please tell me we're gonna do something with this bitch! Ah'm gonna need a heck of a lot of pain killers when Ah get back!"

Xavier walked up to the woman and studied her for a moment. She was strong, fit, and resilient. She set herself apart from the other assassins and dressed nicer as well. Usually he wouldn't have hesitated to simply execute someone who pulled a stunt like this, but he despised seeing good talent go to waste. She didn't seem very enthusiastic on the Hand anyways. Perhaps she could serve better at the Hellfire Club.

"Keep her unconscious for now. We'll take her back to the manor," he said.

"Oh boy, she's in for a rough ride," commented Kitty.

"That's for sure," grinned Wanda, knowing Mistress Selene would be excited at such a prospect.

"What about the deal?" asked Scott, still short of breath from the pain, "Even if they didn't hire the Hand, are we just going to let those guys get away with this?"

Xavier shook his head and smiled. Even in the face of a surprise attack, he was still as calm and confident as ever. It's what made him such a good Black King.

"Of course not, my boy. I assure you, that situation will be rectified. In the meantime, we should get back to New York. There is much more business to be done."

The young pawns trusted their king's word. He never steered them wrong before. They had no reason to believe this was any different. Knowing him, those foolish men would get what they deserve in the end. Their only focus now was to go home, rest, and recover from this battle. But this attack yielded more than just a bloody mess. They now had a skilled Hand assassin named Psylocke in their midst. She was skilled, resourceful, and tough. Perhaps she could be useful to them. But before she had that honor, she would have to face punishment just as everybody who opposed the Hellfire Club.

* * *

**Yashida Tower – Secret Passage**

As the chaos and carnage consumed their meeting area, the nearly two dozen men from the Yakuza slipped quietly and carefully into a secret escape passage they had installed for just such an occasion. The attack from the Hand came unexpectedly, but it was a welcomed diversion. They had their own plans in place to retaliate for Charles Xavier dishonoring their organization. If the Hand didn't stop him they certainly would.

At the moment they were about to exit into an underground tunnel that would lead them to freedom. It was long, narrow, and a bit dingy but it was better than where they came. The two dozen men were confident they could escape and begin their efforts to retaliate. But some weren't so sure.

"Just a little bit longer, my friends," said one of the Yakuza leaders in Japanese as he led everyone into the last stretch of tunnel.

"How can you be so calm?!" exclaimed one of his associates, "Did you plan that back there?"

"I did not, but the Hand has had issues with Xavier and his people recently so let's just leave it at that," said the leader, "They have given us an unexpected gift and we had best take advantage of it."

"Are you sure that is wise? I have heard many stories about those who try to retaliate against Xavier. None end well," warned another associate.

"I do not care about the man's history! He dishonored our organization and he must pay! Now follow me! The way out is just up ahead! Once we escape we'll…"

But the Yakuza leader stopped in mid sentence just as he exited to tunnel. He was suddenly met with an unexpected and disturbing sight. Standing in their way, casually juggling a couple of incendiary grenades, was masked figure in a red and black body suit that was recognized by many in the criminal underworld. It was Deadpool and he was blocking their path to freedom and redemption.

"Yakuzi! You got some 'splainin' to do!" said the merc with a mouth.

"You!" exclaimed the leader in English.

"That's right! It's me! Your worst nightmare and your best friend! I'm here to kiss your boo-boos away and make a few new ones! Courtesy of your good friend, Charles Xavier!"

The leader's face paled as did that of all his associates. Knowing Charles Xavier, this was his way of closing a bad deal.

"Tsk tsk tsk, you're given a chance to live on easy streak and you throw it all away because of your Wushidodle pride or some shit like that. Now you gotta pay the piper!"

"Wait! Just wait a second, sir!" exclaimed the leader, "Whatever Charles Xavier is paying I'll double it! I'll triple it even! Let us go and I will give you access to all the riches of our empire!"

Deadpool broke out into an insane laughter.

"Riches? Ha! Your riches compared to Uncle Charley's mean about as much to me as a wooden nickel and tickets to a Willie Nelson concert! Sorry, but you had your chance. Now open wide and enjoy the highway to hell, courtesy of Deadpool Express!"

The merc with a mouth then threw the grenades he had been juggling into the narrow tunnel. The two dozen men just began to run away, but they didn't get far. As soon as the grenades hit the ground, they exploded in a burst of fire that quickly consumed the narrow tunnel. If the fire didn't get them, then the shrapnel surely would. But just for good measure, Deadpool whipped out his guns and fired a wave of rounds into the smoke and fire, tearing through anybody unlucky enough to still be alive. The whole time he laughed, watching as these once mighty men were cut down by fire and bullets.

It was a cruel end to what was once one of the mightiest Yakuza families in Japan. They thought they could stand against Xavier and the Hellfire Club. They were wrong. The Black King was right to use a fail safe. Too bad they didn't know the extent of his spy network. Not even the most secret of escape routes could go unnoticed. And Deadpool had the honor of capping it off. The deal may not have gone through, but that didn't mean it wasn't a success.

"And that, as they say, is that!" said Deapool as he casually put his guns away, "Time to get me some famous Japanese Saki!"

But just as he was about to leave the trail of mangled and burned bodies behind, his cell phone went off. But it wasn't the phone he usually heard when Xavier, Sinister, or Selene called him. It was his 'personal' phone that he only used for special purposes. Only a handful of people knew about it, but they were people he trusted.

"You better be naked, Storm, because I'm in the middle of something," he answered.

"_Sorry to interrupt, Wade. But Remy and I need you back in New York as soon as possible. There's something we need your help with."_

"Ooh, this wouldn't happen to involve a three way would it?"

"_Not this time. It's something a little more complicated."_

"You mean like role playing? Hell, I can do that too! I can be the tough cop and you can be the sweet girl trying to 'convince' me to tear up a speeding ticket and…"

"_Enough with the perverse comments, Wade! This is serious! Just get back to New York as soon as you can and meet me and Remy at my apartment. That's all I can say for now."_

"Fine, you're no fun," said Deadpool in a mock-saddened tone.

The merc with a mouth hung up and sighed. As much as he adored Ororo, that woman had just been too serious lately. Ever since Sinister stopped calling in jobs, they always seemed on edge or something. At first he thought they were just overworked and needed to get laid. But it was beginning to look as though there was more to it than that. He couldn't quite put his finger on it. Then again he was never all that good at piecing things together. He just did what he did best and got the job done. And if they were going to keep him out of the loop, so be it. He was used to it. But they were going to have to fill him in at some point. He had a feeling there was something big brewing.

* * *

**Up next: Betsy gets introduced to the Hellfire Club and Emma puts her plan into action.**

**AN: It's offically the beginning of the final part. I hope you all are enjoying it so far. Please remember to tell me what you think. Send me your reviews via email or post them on the fanfiction website. And if you want to see the uncut version of this chapter or any other in this series, please check out the link on my profile to adultfanfiction. Thank you all very much for reading. I wish everybody the best.  
**


	2. Hand of Fate

**New Blood  
Chapter 2: Hand of Fate**

* * *

**Hellfire Manor Spa – Massage Room**

The heated moans of ecstasy echoed through the small yet opulent massage rooms of the Hellfire Spa. Laura and Julian were taking some time off from training, business, and missions to unwind a little in the best way they knew how. And that involved having great sex in one of the Hellfire Club's many luxurious settings.

Laura had Julian pinned on his back on a massage table while she rode him nice and hard to a blissful climax. They had already worked up a nice sweat after having already coupled twice, once on the table and again with her pinned up against the wall. Now they were riding each other on the table towards one last peak. She pushed him harder and harder until she reached her climax. When it hit her body arched and she let out a cry of euphoria. And as she got hers, Julian was sent over the edge as well and he climaxed with her.

It had become a regular occurrence for Laura and Julian. Since their first time together over nine months ago, they became regular lovers. Laura had a high sexual appetite, but she slept with Julian the most. She developed a unique friendship with him, one that she had been unable to develop with the others. Nobody else really understood her beyond being Logan's clone. But Julian was different. He reached out to her and wasn't afraid to get to know her. She reached out to him too, learning from him some of the tricks of the trade of being a teenager. This connection they formed helped them mature well in the Hellfire Club. It also helped them have great sex.

"Mmm…that was great, Julian," sighed Laura as she rested atop his naked body.

"Yeah…great," he said as he casually stroked his fingers down her naked skin, "I'm not sure if that qualifies as a massage, but I'll take it."

"Well few normal massages take place here anyways. Most everyone uses these rooms for sex."

"How do you figure?"

"Because I can smell it," said Laura, "Bobby and Danielle had sex on this very table about four hours ago."

"No way!" laughed Julian.

"The scents never lie."

Julian shook his head and laughed. Being around Laura was always an adventure. She still hadn't gotten down the subtleties of life outside of Weapon X. And she was still painfully blunt sometimes. But that was part of what he liked about her. She was different. She was more exciting and intriguing than the other girls. It also helped that she loved sex.

Since joining the Hellfire Club, Laura developed an even stronger appetite for pleasure and intimacy. She had been sexually active before, having worked as a teenage prostitute. But the Hellfire Club made the experience all the more intoxicating through rituals and magic. Now pleasure was more than just something she used to deal with some of the dark memories of her past. It was a part of who she was and in the Hellfire Club, she had plenty of opportunities to explore it. Julian was just the lucky guy she liked to explore it with most. She wasn't sure why, but it just felt better when she did it with him.

"Well I better get back to training," said Laura as she rose up from Julian and slipped off the massage table, "Logan should be back tonight and we have some missions to go over."

"Again? I thought you two were done with that stuff a week ago," said Julian as he rose up as well.

"We're never done, Julian. Logan and Lord Xavier say my skills need more refining. They say I do too much of what Weapon X taught me and not enough of what they're teaching me."

"What's the difference? You still get the job done don't you?"

"It's…a little more complicated than that," said Laura distantly.

Julian bit his tongue. As much as he had connected with Laura, he still had a problem with not thinking before he spoke. There were any number of times he blurted something out that was insensitive to Laura's problems and what she went through. It was easy to forget sometimes that she had a very different childhood (if it could even be called one). He could never fully understand what it was like for her, having to learn everything that Hydra denied her. But she didn't hold it against him.

"Sorry I brought it up," he said sheepishly, "Guess I just worry sometimes that you spend too much of your free time developing some skills and too little time on others."

"My skills as an operative are important," said Laura as she wrapped a towel around her naked body, "What other skills would I have to develop?"

"I don't know. I was just thinking more personal skills would make it easier," he shrugged, "You know, forming closer connections with people and doing more than just sex and casual chit chat."

"I thought I developed those already," she said, "Isn't that what you and some of the others have been helping me with these past few months."

"Well yeah, but there are some things you haven't really touched on."

"Like what?" she asked curiously.

Julian paused for a moment, rubbing the back of his neck awkwardly. For the past few months he had been trying to open Laura to the idea of connecting with people in a way beyond lust and attraction. She seemed to have the concept of friendship down okay, but anything more than that was a mystery to her. He liked being friends with her and all, but sometimes he wondered if maybe they could be more. He tried dropping hints that he liked her as more than just a fuck buddy, but he was no good at getting that across.

Luckily, he didn't have a chance to make a fool of himself trying because the door to the spa opened and Bobby, Jubilee, and Sam walked in.

"Whoa uh…we interrupting something?" said Bobby, getting an eyeful of Laura.

"No, we just finished," said Laura casually, "Would you like to use it now?"

"Maybe later," said Bobby, "We came to tell you that Logan and the others are back."

"Already? I thought they weren't coming back until tonight," said Julian.

"That was the plan, but something uh…came up," said Sam, "Let's just say the plan took an unexpected turn."

Laura and Julian didn't need much to pick up on what he was saying. In the Hellfire Club, plans don't just take 'unexpected turns' in the normal sense. The only way their meticulously planned agenda could change is if something major happened. And given the nature of the deals they had been working on lately, it was a given they would face certain obstacles.

"I see," said Laura knowingly, "I take it Logan wants to talk to me about it."

"He's over in the infirmary at X-Industrial," said Jubilee, "Although he was a little roughed up to say the least."

"He'll be okay," said Laura confidently as she gathered her things and left, "Thanks for letting me know."

She then turned towards Julian.

"Thanks again," she told him, "We'll talk later."

"Yeah sure," he sighed, "See you around Laura."

Laura nodded and left, leaving Julian alone to contemplate further. His expression sank as he grabbed a towel and wrapped it around his waist. As much as he liked Laura, there were times when she was just too detached. He knew it wasn't entirely her fault. She was still struggling to understand certain emotions. But that didn't make any of the emotions he felt any less difficult.

"You really like her, don't you?" Jubliee teased.

"Shut up," muttered Julian.

"You're wasting your time, man," said Bobby, "Laura's cool and all, but I don't think she's the 'affectionate' type. Hell, she's Logan's clone for crying out loud!"

"Doesn't Logan have a crush on Jean though?" quipped Sam.

"That doesn't count!" Bobby retorted, "Laura's just…"

But Julian didn't let him finish.

"She's just different, I know," he said, rolling his eyes, "But that doesn't mean she's some sort of machine or something. She's more than that. And you obviously don't understand her."

Before they could give him any more romantic advice, Julian left. Bobby, Jubilee, and Sam just shrugged. They couldn't help but feel a little sorry for the guy. Julian was a bit of a jerk sometimes, but he did seem to have a soft spot for Laura. How that worked they had no idea. But then again, relationships at the Hellfire Club were always complicated. If Scott and Jean or Kurt and Wanda had taught them anything, it was that some connections were just beyond their understanding.

* * *

**X-Industrial – Infirmary**

The return from Japan was unpleasant to say the least. Not were they unable to complete the deal, they were attacked in an ambush. It left some of them seriously injured and all of them sore and bitter. For some it was pretty bad. The stab wound on Pietro's leg would keep him from running at his usual high speeds for a while. Warpath was going to need to something to cover his left eye until it healed. Kitty was going to need to wear a cast for her broken arm. Scott had his torso wrapped in some bandages to cover his wound. Emma was going to have to spend a day or so in bed while the paralysis wore off. And Rogue still had a splitting headache from Psylocke's attack.

Overall, it was a less than successful mission. Their spirits were somewhat bolstered when Xavier revealed that Deadpool finished off the uncooperative Yakuza who turned down their deal. Their bodies were now burnt to a crisp and buried in a burned down passageway that the authorities would never find. So their power was still up for grabs, but even for the Hellfire Club it wasn't going to be easy. Power vacuums were rarely taken without incident, especially in the world of secret societies. But that was an issue for another day. For now, they just focused on healing up.

In addition, there was the added uncertainty over what would come of Psylocke, who first instigated the attack. She proved to be quite a handful. She managed to use her powers and skills to overcome some of their strongest operatives. Just leaving her for dead would be a horrible waste of talent so they brought her back with them to see if she could be useful to them. She would have to face punishment for attacking them, but she could make up for it by cooperating. They would have to wait and see.

Once they arrived at X-Industrial, Moria and Rahne were there waiting for them along with a team of Hellfire doctors. Hank and Sinister were supposed to be there as well, but they were absent. They assumed they got caught up in their work again and that was fine with them. Being looked over by those two, especially Sinister, was always a little uncomfortable. Any break from their presence was welcome.

Once they were escorted down to the infirmary, Moria and Rahne took over. Moria looked over Pietro first since he had one of the most serious wounds. While she worked on him Rahne tended to Warpath, who needed some treatment for his eye. Even with his durability, he would need some medicine to prevent permanent damage to his vision. Other Hellfire doctors helped put a cast around Kitty's arm and helped Scott clean up the wound on his side. The doctors also helped Emma onto a bed where they administered a special agent that would help her recover from the paralysis. For Rogue, she just needed a dimly lit room and some heavy pain killers.

"Ahhh damn it! Watch that needle!" grunted Pietro as Moria applied some disinfectant to his stab wound.

"Sorry Pietro, but it's hard to stitch this wound while ye keep fidgeting all the time!" said Moria in frustration.

"Want me to knock him out?" Wanda offered.

"No!" exclaimed Pietro, "I mean, just hold my leg down will you?"

Wanda grinned smugly. The threat of hexing him into unconsciousness always did the trick. It still earned her a look from Lorna, who was standing next to him and trying to be supportive. But when she and Wanda were stuck holding Pietro's leg still she couldn't help but call her out.

"You know, you could be a little more supportive here," said Lorna, "Your brother did take a serious wound for Lord Xavier."

"I am being supportive," Wanda said defensively, "I just don't like it when my brother sounds weak."

"Gee, thanks Wanda! Tough love always makes getting stitches feel better!" grunted Pietro as he winced some more.

"Oh quit you're whining. You'll live," said Wanda as she held his legs down a little firmer.

That earned her another look from Lorna. But she continued to ignore it like she always did. Just because Lorna was her half-sister didn't mean she could criticize how she treated her twin. She was annoying enough after having developed such a strong bond with Pietro. She always seemed to look down on her for not trying to be a family. But she was beyond that. She had more immediate concerns than family and she didn't need someone like Lorna getting in her way. Eventually, she would come to see how futile her efforts were.

While they worked on Pietro, Rahne finished up with Warpath. She had him sit upright on a chair while she looked over his eyes with some special, laser sensing equipment. She wasn't an expert, but having a mother who specialized in biology and medicine helped. It didn't seem too bad. A small application of Sinister's healing agent would probably be enough. But until then he was going to need an eye patch. It was something Warpath was less than thrilled about.

"It looks like ye just burned your retinas and ruptured a few veins," said Rahne as she turned off the equipment, "Ye should heal up within a three weeks at the most. But in the meantime ye will have to wear an eye-patch."

"Ah hell," muttered the Apache warrior.

"Oh relax, it's not all bad," said Rahne as she got an eye patch from a nearby drawer, "Some women find them sexy. It shows ye be tough and strong."

"It's not that," he groaned as Rahne put the patch over him, "I just don't like eye patches."

"Why not? It's not ye have to wear it forever."

"Let's just say they remind me of certain people I'd rather not be reminded of."

Rahne didn't know what to make of that, but she shrugged it off and helped him fix the eye-patch so it appeared properly. Once it was on, James looked at a nearby mirror and cringed. Fate had a cruel sense of humor. For three weeks he would have something in common with the one man he hated more than anyone in the world, Nick Fury. Like him, he had an eye patch. It wasn't the worst injury he could have suffered, but it was by far the most unpleasant. He was going to have to avoid mirrors for the rest of the month.

Across the infirmary, the doctors were just finishing up on Kitty's cast. It wasn't the most comfortable procedure, but given how Rogue rammed into her it could have been a lot worse. And thanks to advanced Hellfire technology, she wouldn't need the cast for long. A few days would be all she needed until the silicate implant they put in settled. But aside from the discomfort, she was just sore from it all. It helped that Piotr stayed with her, lending whatever support he could.

"Broken arms suck," she commented as she struggled with tight fitting cast.

"Does it hurt that bad, Katya?" asked Piotr with a concerned tone.

"No, but it's cumbersome and sore," she muttered, "Almost makes me wish I had indestructible metal skin."

"Oh I don't think you need it. You're tough enough without it," said Piotr, managing a slight smile.

"Aww, thanks Petey," she said with an affectionate smile, "I guess I'll have to be tough if I'm going to participate in meetings like that."

"You're brave just to have tagged along," he said, sitting next to her and slipping his strong arm around her, "But sometimes you worry me. Your dedication is admirable, but sometimes you need to take it one step at a time. You're still young and you have a lot to learn."

"I learn best by doing," she shrugged, "If these are the kinds of bruises I have to take along the way, so be it."

Piotr smiled back warmly. For someone who looked so innocent the day he first met her, Kitty Pryde had grown into a tough, strong woman. She didn't shy away from challenges and didn't get overwhelmed easily. That was impressive giving she wasn't the strongest girl in the world or the most powerful. But she was smart, cunning, and fearless. It was part of what he had come to love about her.

"Let's just hope that next time we keep Rogue on a leash," Kitty joked, "I still think she needs work on those flight powers."

"You know, Ah can hear you Kitty!" Rogue yelled out from behind a darkened bed surrounded by curtains, "And would ya mind keepin' it down? Mah head is killin' me!"

"Now you know how my arm feels," quipped Kitty.

Kitty laughed as Piotr helped her up. For Rogue, however, there was nothing funny about a psychic induced headache. Jean told her it would be best if she just rested in a dark area for a few hours, taking a steady dose of pain killers for a day or so after. She was invulnerable and super strong, yet she was not immune to headaches. She cursed that Psylocke again and again. She hoped Lord Xavier and Mistress Selene worked her over good. Headaches like this should not go unpunished.

On the other side of the infirmary, Jean was helping Scott treat the wound on his side. Compared to the others, he didn't fare so badly. The wound he took to the abdomen just grazed him sharply and there was no serious damage. He just needed a dose of some special healing agents Sinister helped develop and the wound should be gone little scaring in a few days. After Jean applied to agent, a couple of doctors helped wrap the wound. She stayed by his side, giving him her support. But she didn't hide the twinge of anger she felt for him pulling off a stunt like that.

"How are you feeling now?" she asked.

"Better," Scott answered as the doctor finished bandaging the wound, "I've had worse. It should be healed in a few days."

"Good," she replied, looking away.

"You don't seem too thrilled," said Scott, trying to get her to look his way again.

"I'm still a bit mad at you," Jean admitted, "What you did back there was pretty reckless. You could have gotten yourself killed."

"But I didn't," he argued, "Yeah I took a nasty wound to the gut, but I saved Emma and stopped those assassins."

"You could have just as easily have told me to disarm that guy and I would have been able to do it without even lowering my shields. It would have been a lot easier and a lot less risky."

"Maybe so, but in the heat of the moment you don't always have time to think. I saw a situation. I reacted. It's over now. Can we give it a rest?"

Jean looked at her lover anxiously. It still didn't sit well with her. Scott was a great leader and a skilled operative, but there were times she questioned his decision making. And even if it was foolish, he never admitted to having done the wrong thing. It was an annoying trait of his that they often argued over. But now was not the time for arguing.

"Fine," Jean sighed, "Just try not to scare me like that, okay?"

"I'll try," said Scott, managing a smile.

"Thanks, that's all I ask."

They shared a brief kiss. Then Jean walked off, leaving Scott to rest on the infirmary bed for a while. He leaned back on his arms and sighed. He didn't like fighting with Jean, but in the ever complicated affairs of the Hellfire Club it was sometimes unavoidable. As much as he loved her, they didn't always see eye to eye. It was frustrating because there wasn't much more he could do. He wasn't psychic like her. He had only his instincts and skills to go on. But no amount of love could do a way with arguments. It was just something he had learned to deal with.

Scott continued contemplating everything that happened, analyzing his every decision during the fight like he always did. But his thought process was interrupted by a voice from the bed next to his.

"She's wrong, you know."

Scott looked over at Emma Frost, who was lying in the bed next to his partially covered by sheets. She was still a bit out of it from the paralysis disk. But she had been given some meds and was told she just needed to sleep it off. But as tired as she was, sleep was the last thing on her mind at the moment.

"Emma? I thought you were asleep," said Scott

"I couldn't go to sleep without talking to you first, now could I? That would be rude considering you saved my life," she said with a warm smile.

Scott smiled as well. He hadn't forgotten what he did during the fight. With all the commotion it was difficult to dwell on it. But Emma sure hadn't forgotten.

"It was nothing. I just did what I had to do."

"Don't be so modest. It was definitely something," said Emma, "You didn't have to save me. Hell, a lot of people would have been perfectly okay with that man shooting me right then and there."

"Don't say that, Emma. You're one of us. We're supposed to look out for each other," said Scott.

"We're supposed to, but realistically speaking that's the antithesis of what the Hellfire Club's about. But you're different, Scott. You're special. Jean may not see that, but I do. And I think she's dead wrong to criticize you like that."

"She still has a point."

"No she doesn't," said Emma strongly, "Don't let her trivialize your leadership or your decisions. You know they're right. I know they're right. If she can't see that then that's her problem."

Scott was silent for a moment. Then he smiled. He shifted over from the bed so he was sitting right across from Emma. She still looked out of it, but she was smiling at him none-the-less. It was strange because she never smiled at anybody. It sort of made him feel special.

"Are you just taking my side because I saved you?" he asked her.

"Does it matter? Would that make it any less true?" she quipped.

"Do you always have to answer with questions?"

"Nobody ever believes my answers anyways. They all think I'm inherently dishonest about everything. So I have to make my point somehow. Just look at it this way…you did what you had to and it was right. Just because Jean doesn't approve doesn't mean you should question it."

"I don't question my decisions," Scott retorted.

"But Jean makes you think twice about them," Emma quipped, "She doesn't understand because she's too needy. Anything that makes her uncomfortable is inherently wrong to her. And you deserve better."

"I wouldn't say she's that extreme," said Scott, still trying to defend his lover.

"You see? That's the problem. Even when you know it's wrong, you defend her. How about defending yourself for once? I never doubt your decisions. I actually have faith in what you do for the Hellfire Club. Don't lose faith in yourself just because Jean disapproves."

It was a harsh indictment of Jean, but there was some truth to it. Scott was always quick to defend Jean, but he knew they didn't see eye-to-eye on everything. He never had that problem with Emma, but he never really thought about it until now.

"I see what you mean," said Scott, "But I think you're wrong on one thing. I don't think you're inherently dishonest. You're just good at what you do here."

"And that, darling, is the only compliment I've received this week that wasn't about my breasts," Emma grinned.

They both shared a good laugh. Even though Emma was still considerably weak, she could still enjoy a good conversation with the only other man besides Xavier who could get under her diamond tough skin. But beyond that, it finally gave her an opportunity. For months now she had been planning to make a move on this man. She had seen him suffer under that redheaded fool for too long now. He deserved better than her. And she was going to prove it. This was her chance and she was going to take it.

"You know, for that and for saving my life I'm obligated to reward you," she said after they stopped laughing.

"Really? What kind of a reward?" said Scott with a knowing grin.

"I think you have a good idea what it is," she said in a seductive tone, "But I have something extra in mind. And as soon as I recover from this damned bed I'll go about setting it up. All you have to do is wait and see. I promise it'll be something you'll never forget."

"Coming from you, that's a pretty bold statement," Scott said with a smirk.

"I may be a cunning, deceitful bitch but I'm a bitch of my word," said Emma wryly, "That you can be sure of."

"Good enough for me," said Scott.

They shared another laugh. Scott had no idea what she had in mind, but he would soon find out. Emma was already going over the possibilities. She was going to move in on him. She was going to show him how he felt. She was going to give to him what Jean couldn't. And nothing was going to stop her. For so long now her heart was a cold, desolate wasteland devoid of love or affection for anybody. She was tired of it and ready to open it up again. She was confident that this time would be better than before.

But as she and Scott talked and laughed, Logan took note from where he was recovering from his various injuries. He was sitting on table from a distance, but could still hear the conversation with his heightened senses. It gave him an ominous sense of foreboding. At one point Emma looked over at him and flashed him a knowing look as if to say "this is you chance. Time's running out. Choose now or you'll be left behind."

Logan let out a disgruntled groan. Sitting next to him was Laura, who he had come over so he could talk to her about the attack. Having been hit by the Hand, he wanted to organize a counter attack and it was something he wanted Laura to be a part of. But at the moment his mind wasn't on the Hand. It was on something a lot more personal.

"Are you okay, Logan?" Laura asked, noticing his disposition.

"Yeah…I'm fine," he said, getting up and making his leave, "Come on, we need to talk with Lord Xavier about the Hand. I'm sure he'll want to strike back and he'll want us to be a part of it."

Laura rolled her eyes, clearly not convinced. But thankfully, she didn't say anything to him. Logan was in no mood to discuss this issue. But like it or not, he was going to get caught up in it because he knew what Emma was up to. He had a vague idea of what she was going to do. It was going to affect him because it was going to affect Jean. Emma made it clear that the offer she made to him almost a year ago still stood. She could help make Jean his. It was still tempting, but he remained undecided, largely due to the warnings of Mystique. But he would have to make a decision soon or he may never get another chance with Jean.

* * *

**Osaka, Japan – 3 Years Ago**

"_Betsy…Kwannon? Wake up, my dear. It's time for you to wake up."_

"Hnn…"

"_She's not coming too. Perhaps the transfer wasn't complete?"_

"_No…the transfer worked. She's just confused."_

Elizabeth Braddock groaned as she lingered in a state between consciousness and unconsciousness. She wasn't sure where she was or what happened. The last thing she remembered was some sort of terrorist attack at a high secure government bank in Hong Kong. She was helping her brother, Brian Braddock, the famous British hero Captain Britain, subdue the terrorists. But then she got into an altercation with this tough, purple haired woman wielding these strange psionic blades. Not being a fighter herself, she tried using her telepathy to subdue her. But it didn't work. There was a struggle. Then there was some kind of explosion. After that it was all a blur.

She tried to get up, but every one of her limbs felt like they had building on them. She could move her head, but just barely. Her vision was blurry so she couldn't make out the figures standing around her. There were only three, but they were all tall and imposing. And they also bore the uniforms similar to those worn by the terrorists. That was not a good sign. Had they captured her or something? Were they using her as a hostage? Many possibilities ran through her head. But she was too weak to contemplate them all. Then one of the figures loomed over her and spoke.

"You're quite a lucky girl, Miss Braddock," he said in a low, yet imposing tone, "Not many could have survived being that close to a helicopter as it explodes."

Her eyes widened as more details of her memory emerged. She now remembered where that explosion came form. She was pinned down just outside the bank with that purple haired woman holding a psionic blade to her neck. She threatened to cut her throat if she didn't order her brother's men to back off. She struggled to fight her off, using her psychic talents to tear into her mind and keep her from delivering the final blow. She was on the verge of breaking her defenses. But then one of the helicopters being used by their operatives was hit by a stinger missile by a terrorist and it came crashing down towards them. She tried to break free of the woman, but by the time she realized what was going on it was too late. The helicopter crashed within a few feet of them. That's when everything went black.

"Pardon my manners, but I don't think I've properly introduced myself," said the figure, "I am Kirigi, leader of the Hand. It was I who organized the mission you and your brother meddled in."

"You…the terrorists," she got out in a weak voice.

"Oh please, terrorist is such a harsh term. The Hand is much more than that. We are a secret society of assassins and warriors that date back over 400 years. Our goals are not terror. We seek more meaningful ends. But that's a story for another time. For now, we have an unusual predicament…one that involves you and our dear friend, Kwannon, who's mind you so rendered so weak during the attack."

That name, Kwannon, felt familiar. It was strange though because Betsy never heard it before in her life. Yet for some reason, it felt as though she was tied to it. It was a strange feeling. One she couldn't make sense of in her current state of mind. But this Kirigi man had the answers and there was something very ominous about the way he was looking at her.

"Kwannon…who is she?" she demanded in a weak tone.

"Why…she's you, Betsy," Kirigi said in a taunting tone, "At least she is now."

"Huh? What are you…"

"Don't believe me? Here, see for yourself."

Kirigi snapped his fingers and one of his henchmen handed him a small mirror. He then held that mirror up over her face so Betsy could see what he was talking about. Even though her state of mind was fuzzy and incoherent, she was shocked by what she saw. Looking back at her through the mirror wasn't her face. It was the face of the woman she had been fighting. Only now, that face was her face. She looked down at herself briefly and saw that it wasn't just her face. She was in an entirely new body, namely the one belonging to the woman she had been fighting against earlier. Now she understood where that strange feeling came from.

"My…my body," she said weakly.

"Was maimed, I'm afraid," said Kirigi, "Trust me, you wouldn't want to wake up in that body. It was…messy to say the least."

Betsy felt sick. The idea that her body, the one she had been born in and the one she had modeled with, was gone overwhelmed her. And now she was in a new body. How was she supposed to react to that? It was too much to process. But Kirigi wasn't done.

"Our dear Kwannon was lucky. Her body escaped with only minor cuts and scrapes. However, when you broke down her mental defenses it left her mind vulnerable. And when the shock of the explosion overwhelmed her system, her mind was utterly destroyed. So when all was said and done, one of you had a broken body and another had a broken mind. So we took it upon ourselves to help you both. We saved your mind and put it into Kwannon's body."

It disturbed her that he said this so casually as if it were the dullest thing in the world. She was still struggling to wrap her head around this. Her mind was now in someone else's body. There was so much to take in and it was getting worse with each revelation.

"But…how?"

"A touch of magic and modern medicine," grinned Kirigi, "The process was simple. You not only have your mind in Kwannon's body, but your telepathic talents transferred over as well. In addition, you retained Kwannon's advanced ninja skills as well as her ability to form psionic blades. So in essence, you're an upgrade from Kwannon. But you don't have to thank us. You'll return the favor in due time."

A new feeling of rage consumed the young psychic. This man had the gall to put her mind in someone else's body and now he expected her to return the favor? She wasn't about to let that happen. With her strength returning to her, she tried to move her limbs. But she then found out each limb was restrained by metal shackles. They weren't letting her go anytime soon.

"Don't bother struggling. You'll need your strength for what's to come. You see, the Hand saved your life. That means you, Elizabeth Braddock, are indebted to us. And as such, you will serve us as the new Psylocke."

"Like hell I will!" she said in a weak, but defiant tone.

"I'm afraid you do not have a choice in the matter," said Kirigi strongly, "You will serve us one way or another. You can either do it willingly or it can be by force. It does not matter which you choose. But from this day forward, your will belongs to the Hand."

Betsy continued to struggle, but then another figure wearing some strange cloak put his hand over her head and her limbs went weak again. Then his eyes started glowing and she was hit with this strange surge. Her mind, body, and spirit were then sent back into a state of near-unconsciousness. But before everything went numb, she came to a harsh realization. She was tied to these people now. They were in control and she had no choice but to serve them. Elizabeth Braddock's days of free will were over. From this day forward, her fate would be in the hands of others. Now she was a puppet of the Hand.

* * *

**Selene's Torture Chamber – Present**

"Hnn…"

Elizabeth Braddock was completely out of it. Her whole world was a daze of exhaustion, weakness, and soreness. She could barely move, let alone recall what happened. She had been on a special, high risk mission for the Hand. She was supposed to kill this man, Charles Xavier. She led an assault, fought some of his associates, and landed some pretty nasty blows against them. But at some point her memory of the assault stopped and everything was just a blur. Then a cold, sinister voice brought it back for her.

"Time to wake up, little bitch."

"Huh? What?" she groaned.

Betsy shook off her daze and opened her eyes. But when she saw where she was she immediately wished she hadn't. She was in some sort of dungeon that looked as though it was taken right out of medieval times. The walls were made of blackened stone and were dimly lit by a series of old lights. They were also lined with ominous looking weapons that had blood stains on them, hinting that they had been recently used. That sure didn't sit well. It was also dank and confined, feeling as though this was a small nook wedged between Hell and limbo. Her first thoughts were to escape. But that would prove difficult because when she tried to move, she realized she was bound by her wrists with hard metal shackles.

"Bloody hell!" she grunted as she started struggling.

"Don't bother trying to break free, Miss Braddock. You are not going anywhere."

Betsy recognized that voice. It was that of her target, Charles Xavier. As her vision cleared, she saw him standing before her in a calm, collected poise. He was still wearing the same suit he wore when she first attacked him. He projected a confident, yet menacing presence. But he wasn't the one that made her the most uneasy. It was the woman next to him that really troubled her.

She was wearing what could only be described as mix of lingerie and S&M attire. It was very revealing, consisting of a black thong, a tight fitting bustier that held up her voluptuous breasts, and black leather gloves and stockings that extended almost all the way up her arms and thighs. She looked like she belonged in a bondage club or something, but she had this presence to her that didn't sit well with Betsy for a minute. There was a coldness in her eyes and a sense of evil in her expression that was too dark for words.

It was also at this time she realized something else. She was completely naked, her uniform having been stripped off her body. It made her feel vulnerable and exposed. But she didn't try to cover up or conceal her private areas. Her only thoughts were finding a way to break out of this before they could do whatever sick torture they had planned. She tried forming a psionic blade. But for some reason it wasn't working. It was as if something was holding her powers back.

"Trying to use your powers?" said Xavier, "Don't bother. They won't work. They're being held back by a special dampening field tailored to your unique mutant signature. You're completely powerless."

"Thanks for clearing that up, you fucking bloke!" grunted Betsy as she struggled with the chains, "Now what do you want? And why am I naked?"

"You're in no position to be asking the questions, bitch!" bellowed Selene, "You're lucky you're as intact as you are!"

"Is that supposed to scare me?" said Psylocke as she continued struggling.

"Trust me, you don't know the first thing about fear!"

"Easy, Selene," said Xavier, holding her back slightly, "You'll have plenty of time to educate her in that respect soon enough. But she's right. There is an explanation in order. We did fly her halfway across the world after all."

"Whatever," grunted Selene, "But tell me when you're done. I'd like to get started."

"I assure you, it won't take long."

Selene slipped away to get some of her 'tools,' while Xavier walked up to the purple haired woman and looked her in the eye. There was no fear or nervousness in her expression. She was every bit as tough as one would expect from an assassin from the Hand. She was not going to be like the others who had suffered in these walls. But she was still going to give them what they wanted.

"So you're the one the Hand sent to kill me?" said the Black King, "I must say I'm a bit underwhelmed. I would have expected the Hand to throw someone a bit more imposing."

"Don't flatter yourself, luv. I'm tough enough to handle blokes like you."

"Given your predicament, I would strongly contest that argument. But that's a matter for another time. My current concern is why the Hand would strike at me in such a way. I'm sure they knew I was moving in on their territory. But a full frontal assault like that is contrary to their usual tactics."

"The Hand has no 'usual tactics.' Believe me, I've been a part of them," said Betsy snidely, "They don't like competition and you were threatening them. Did you really expect them NOT to attack?"

"Of course I expected a response. But sending you just seems…out of place," said Xavier with increasing suspicion, "Tell me, Miss Braddock, what did they say about this attack before they sent you? Why did they move in so unexpectedly? Because as powerful as the Yashida family is, I doubt they would call upon the Hand so quickly."

"I don't know! You think they tell me everything?!" Betsy exclaimed, "I serve those blokes against my will! It's because of them my old body was crushed and it's because of them my mind is stuck in one of their assassins! They don't trust me anymore then they trust you!"

"So…you really don't know why they sent you?"

"Of course I don't! They just told me you were a target and your organization was guilty of some 'crime against the Hand' or some shit like that! I didn't ask for details."

Xavier looked at the woman closer. He roughly probed her mind, searching for any details she may be keeping from him. But to his surprise he found no evidence of her lying. She wasn't even trying to shield her mind. It was as if she wanted him to know the truth. But that didn't set his mind at ease in the slightest. This revelation that the Hellfire Club was guilty of some crime against the Hand was disturbing because he didn't recall striking at them in any significant way. He was certain he disrupted their operations, but none of his actions would warrant such a crime. It was a curious matter.

"You really don't know, do you?" said Xavier suspiciously.

"Why do you think I'm letting you in my mind?!" she said, "I don't like the Hand any more than you!"

"Then why did they send you? Don't they have other skilled assassins? That Elektra woman might have fared better," Xavier questioned.

"I told you I don't know! It's probably because I'm psychic and could shield my mind! Or maybe they were just getting sick of me fighting with them these past three years and didn't expect me to survive! Hell, they probably think I'm dead now! So just save yourself the trouble and let me fucking go!"

"Now you know I can't do that. You committed a crime against the Hellfire Club."

"And what? You're going to make me pay for it?" said Betsy dryly, "I've been playing that game since the Hand abducted me! There's nothing you can do threaten me!"

"Threaten you?" laughed Xavier, "Say we gave you a chance to serve us instead of the Hand. Would you be inclined to take that chance? We could compensate you much better than they could. It would be a shame to lose such a skilled and beautiful assassin such as yourself."

Betsy looked at the Black King with a mix of disgust and confusion. This guy had her changed up naked in a dungeon and he had the gall to ask her to join? These people really were crazy. As if the Hand wasn't bad enough, this man was offering her to walk a path she had already been down before.

"Go fuck yourself," she answered, "I know about you and this place, Xavier. The Hand told me all about it. You people are sick! You have no honor, no sense of duty, and no limits to how far you're willing to go! I thought the Hand was bad, but at least they knew when to hold back! I'd rather die than serve people like you!"

Xavier's expression fell and he let out a disgruntled sigh. This woman's toughness was admirable. But her attitude was a problem. She still clung to her old laurels. If they were to get any use out of her, they would have to break her down. It was a process he always found cumbersome and brutal, but if that is what he had to do so be it.

"That's too bad," sighed the Black King, "You would have made a fine associate. But if you will not serve us willingly then I suppose we will have to do this the hard way."

Xavier backed away and Selene re-emerged. This time she had a menacing looking black whip in hand. She gripped it intently as she gazed hungrily at her vulnerable naked body. It gave Betsy a sick feeling. The Hand told her much about the Hellfire Club and Xavier, but they never told her much about this woman. They only said she was as sadistic as they come.

"One way or another, you will serve us, Miss Braddock," said Xavier, "We intend to make good use of your skills. You can either submit and make it easier on yourself or you can resist. The choice is yours. But for now, you must take your punishment."

"So no matter what you're doing to torture me," said Betsy bitterly.

"Don't think of it as torture, my dear," said the Black King, "Think of it more as conditioning."

"And I look forward to do as much 'conditioning' as I have to," grinned Selene.

That sick tone in her voice sent chills down her spine. Betsy wasn't scared by much, but this woman was something else entirely. Nobody in the Hand ever gave her this ominous feeling. She was in for yet another rough haul. That seemed to be the story of her life these past three years.

Selene licked her lips, ready to tear into this woman. But before she began, Xavier walked up to her and leaned in close so he could whisper into her ear.

"Do not be too harsh with her, Selene. I want no marks of any kind. Just break her down until she is submissive. Punish her, but only to a point."

"Now where's the fun in that?" said Selene with a sadistic grin.

"I mean it, Selene. I want this girl intact. Just make her submissive and nothing more. Don't try anything else because I'll be watching. Understand?"

Selene muttered a curse under her breath. This man had no sense of fun. It was a good thing her plans were moving forward. She wasn't sure how much more of his interference she could take.

"Fine," she grumbled, "I'll give her some of my softer treatments. But she's a tough one. I may need some time with her."

"Take as much as you need. But remember, keep it to a point."

Xavier then made his exit, leaving Selene alone with Betsy. He would have liked to stay to ensure Selene did as he wished, but the Black Queen insisted on doing torture in seclusion. That was okay so long as she remembered he would be watching her with cameras. Selene had a knack for going overboard sometimes and he wanted this woman's skill to be intact. She may prove useful to his plans down the line.

Once the Black King left and secured the chamber door, it was just Selene and Betsy. And she was definitely the last person Betsy wanted to be alone in a room with. She watched with a mix of defiance and anxiety as the imposing woman walked up to her and hungrily traced her gloved fingers over her naked body. Her touch made her sick to her stomach, but she remained collected and stern. The Hand already hardened her to things like torture. But this woman seemed to pick up on that and wasn't at all dissuaded.

"Such a nice, fit body you have," said Selene as she traced her finger down Betsy's back and butt, "Why you would complain about being stuck in it is beyond me."

"If you're trying to come onto me you should know I don't swing that way," said Betsy, swallowing her disgust.

"Save your immature comments, bitch. Yours or not, this body will serve us well. I'm sure there are plenty of men who would just love to get to know you."

Selene then slid her hand down to her private areas. This woman's touch was sickening and the way she talked about her body was disturbing.

"If this place breeds women like you I'd rather not get to know the men. They're all probably impotent pricks anyways."

"You'd be surprised," Selene grinned, "But if you're going to put that body to good use, we'll have to do something about that attitude of yours first. And when I get through with you you'll have no desire to make any more snide remarks."

"Go to Hell you sad excuse for a dominatrix!"

"Ha! You think you know Hell? I'll give you Hell!"

THWACK!

Selene delivered a hard blow onto her back with her whip. Betsy's body tensed and her face contorted in discomfort. This woman was stronger than she looked, but she wasn't going to give her the satisfaction of her pained cries. Selene whipped her again, this time even harder. Betsy let out a sharp grunt, but remained defiant in trying to resist. The Hand taught her a number of torture endurance techniques and she never had to use them until now. But Selene kept stepping it up, whipping her harder and harder. She was relentless, the look on her face seething with a twisted sense of excitement. It was like she was getting aroused by this.

The sickening sounds of hard leather colliding with flesh echoed through the dank walls. Psylocke endured each blow, but did not scream or cry out. She just grunted and endured. But Selene would not let up. She kept whipping and beating her, leaving nasty red welts on her naked flesh. They would not leave marks, but they still hurt like hell. But pain alone wasn't going to break this woman. Selene knew this and planned for it.

"How does that feel?" said the Black Queen, seething with excitement after delivering a really hard blow to her face.

"Ugh!" grunted Psylocke, not wanting to give her any kind of response.

"Those welts look pretty painful. But you seem to have quite a pain tolerance. Care to test it?"

She hit her again, this time striking her just above her private areas. This really hurt and got a response out of her.

"Sod off, bitch!" she exclaimed.

Selene grinned. She was tough, but not that tough. She was going to have to step it up.

"Such a foul mouth. Why don't we do a way with that?"

Selene grabbed a ball gag from a nearby table and forcibly put it in her mouth so she couldn't talk. Betsy tried to spit it out at first, but Selene was too strong. Once it was in she tightened the straps in the back so it was secure. Now her voice was completely muffed and she wouldn't be able to make any more snide comments. But if Selene was going to get her to beg for mercy, she would need to inflict more pain.

"Much better," said Selene upon roughly cupping Betsy's chin, "Now seeing as how you've worked for the Hand the last three years I assume you know a thing or two about magic. I'm guessing that's what they used to put your mind in this new body. And I assume they used more magic to keep you in line so you would serve them."

She was right, but Betsy didn't give her the satisfaction of a response. That hardened look in her eyes was all the answer she needed.

"Well let me tell you right now that the magic they use is child's play compared to what I'm capable of!" said the Black Queen intently, "Magic is a potent force capable of many things. Get ready to feel just how much pain it can inflict!"

Selene then tossed aside the whip and grabbed a new tool for torture. This one was unlike anything Betsy ever saw, even at the Hand. It looked like a thin metal rod, only it had some sort of strange red ruby at the end. It was ridged and hard, indicating it was meant to leave quite a mark. But Selene didn't just start hitting her with it like she did the whip. She did something unexpected first.

With the strange rode in hand, she sensually licked up the smooth metallic shaft. But then when her lips touched the ruby tip, it started glowing in a dark pinkish hue. Then Selene's eyes flashed a similar color, indicating that whatever power had just been imbued into the rod was also imbued in her as well. Now gripping the rod intently she leaned in closer to the young ninja. She then held the rod high and the air and swung down hard, striking Betsy just below her neck.

"Mmmmffffhhhhh!" she howled, her pained groans muffled by the gag.

It was like every nerve in her body was set ablaze. White hot pain filled her every fiber. It was agony unlike anything she ever felt before. And even with training and conditioning by the Hand, this was just too much.

"Yeeessss! Feel that? Hurts doesn't it?"

She hit her again. This time it was even worse. The tip of the rod struck just below her shoulder this time. As soon as the ruby tip made contact with her skin, another round of blinding pain surged through her. It was like her insides were being set on fire while her ever fiber was gnawed at in agony. She hit her again and again, sending more waves of this agony through her body. Every time the tip of the rod touched her, a bright red spark shot out. And with every strike the spark got brighter along with the pain. And the more pain she felt, the more excited Selene got. She really seemed to get off on it, inflicting such blinding pain on her. She got a cruel sense of satisfaction watching her, a tough ninja trained by the Hand, whimpering and moaning in agony. And this was just the beginning.

"Yes! Yes! You feel that?" Selene exclaimed in between blows, "Let the pain break you down! Let it twist your soul! It will only stop when you submit!'

"Mmhhhhhhhh!" groaned Betsy.

She didn't let up. Selene kept striking her again and again, each time sending more pain through her being. Every time she felt it, Betsy felt herself lose herself a little. She could feel her mind slipping. Her will to resist was starting to give in. Even with her training, she could only take so much pain. And this pain was not normal pain. It didn't just wound her body. It wounded her mind and soul. Every agonizing second was a test of her will, pushing her and breaking her to the point of madness. She didn't want to give in. But it was just too hard.

After a good fifteen minutes of whipping, which must of seemed like a lifetime to Betsy, Selene took a breather. The welts on her body were still there, but they didn't even begin to describe the kind of agony that she was in. This special rod she was using had a special tip with a spell on it that could inflict great pain. And not only could it hurt the body, it wounded the mind and spirit. Even the strongest could not resist such torment for very long. And Betsy was already showing signs of weakening. She was tough, but had little incentive to resist in the name of the Hand. And yet she still resisted. Perhaps she would be open to other forms of persuasion.

With the rod still in hand, the Black Queen grabbed a needle and syringe from her table of tools and walked up to the pained woman. She then grabbed her face and looked her in the eye.

"How does it feel? The pain penetrating all the way to your soul?" said Selene in a deep, sadistic tone, "You know you can't resist forever. I can tell you want it to end. But you don't want to give in."

Betsy didn't make a sound. She just stared back at the sadistic woman, her gaze as hardened as ever.

"One way or another you will come to serve the Hellfire Club. I'm willing to use any method necessary to break your will to resist us. I've shown you how I can hurt you with pain. Now I'll give you a taste of how I can hurt you with pleasure."

Betsy couldn't even begin to understand what she meant by that. Then she watched as the Black Queen, took the syringe and plunged it into her thigh, injecting her with some strange clear fluid. Betsy closed her eyes and struggled at the discomfort. At first she didn't feel any effects. She just looked on in confusion as Selene pulled the needle out and tossed it aside. Then the expression on her face shifted to one of a strange mix of sadism and sexuality.

"There's a fine line between pleasure and pain," she said in a deep voice, "When that line is crossed, so many things are possible. But for those such as you, it is truly an experience. But I must warn you, it does a lot of damage to unprepared minds."

Selene then snapped her fingers and two doors on each side of the chamber opened. Then four tall, well-built men walked in bearing no shirts and black masks. They were Selene's personal guards who specialized in her brand of torture. She conditioned them in a way to be especially dark, not like those mindless drones Xavier conditioned. And they would provide Betsy with a good taste of what was in store for her.

It didn't take long for Betsy to surmise what was going to happen. She watched with a sense of dread as the masked men wordlessly slipped out of their pants, leaving them naked except for their masks. They were each becoming fully aroused as if they were machines of sorts. She started struggling again as the four men surrounded her and started groping her naked body. But she was so weakened from Selene's torture she could not struggle for very long. It was then she started feeling the effects of whatever it was she injected her with.

"Mmm…mfh," she moaned out through the gag.

Through the stinging pain, a powerful sense of arousal consumed her. Her mind quickly became dazed, as if something had just reached into her mind and turned every sexual desire and function into overdrive. She was already disoriented enough from the torture. But now she was on the verge of completely losing it.

"Can you feel it? The burning need to be fulfilled?" seethed the Black Queen, "It's torture isn't it? Just like pain, your body craves pleasure. And to not have it drives you mad. But don't worry. My strapping young studs will be more than happy to accommodate you. But I must warn you, giving into the feeling can drive you even madder."

Betsy let out a muffled moan as the men groped her. It really was maddening. She was losing control of this body that wasn't even hers to begin with. She wanted it so bad she felt she would go crazy if she didn't get it. But she knew she would go just as crazy if she did. There was no escaping it. One way or another she was going to give into this feeling of madness.

"Go on! Fuck her! Fuck her like the bitch she is!" Selene ordered.

The men obediently complied. Using their imposing strength, they grasped her bound body, positioned themselves, and began relentlessly raping her. Betsy's face contorted in a mix of discomfort and pleasure. It was a strange feeling. There was pain because of her sore body, but as the man began roughly working his member in and out of her vagina feelings of pleasure surged through her to mix with the pain. It was a strange wave of sensations that further dazed and deluded her already damaged mind. Through this unabated assault, she actually had an orgasm. But it wasn't a ntormal kind. It was a different feeling that completely overwhelmed her body. That fragile line between pleasure and pain that Selene mentioned came into effect. It was pushing her to the brink of madness. And it was just beginning.

Over and over, the men raped her. Judging by the look on her face, Betsy Braddock was giving in. Selene could tell from the look in her eyes. The pleasure and pain was getting to her. This was unlike any torture she had ever endured before. It was twisting her perceptions, warping her thought process, and breaking her down. It looked as though she was already at the point of no return. She was never going to be the same after this. But Selene wasn't content to just leave it there.

"Giving in already?" she said snidely, "Think you can make it stop just by admitting defeat?"

Betsy didn't even look at her. She was too dazed and she knew it wouldn't do her any good.

"Well too bad! The fun is just beginning!" grinned Selene.

For the next two and a half hours, the Black Queen continued to break Psylocke down. Using her ruby tipped rod as her main tool she whipped her naked body from head to toe, sending waves of pain through her body and spirit. The magic in each blow not only added to the pain, it broke down her will and did a way with any thoughts of resisting or defying her. The more she was broken down, the more submissive she would be. It was a level of submissiveness the Hand could never have hoped for. They didn't know how to use magic. They didn't know how to break someone like she did.

In between the whippings, Selene had the men rape her more. She stayed aroused the whole time due to the drug. And even though the men were fairly rough with how they fucked her, her body continued to climax again and again like a machine. Each one send waves of pleasure that mixed with the pain. It further weakened her will to resist. And because of the high dosage Selene gave her, she would have some permanent after effects. Selene could already see in her the makings of a fine, submissive sex worker with a weakness for pleasure. There was no doubt she would make a fine addition to their ranks.

At some point about halfway through the torture, Betsy stopped resisting. She stopped struggling with the chains. She stopped struggling with the men. And she didn't resist when Selene struck her with the rod. It showed she had been broken. And yet Selene continued, knowing Xavier would probably chew her out for it later, but she didn't care. She couldn't afford to stop now. This skilled bitch showed a gall she admired. She may not have been able to resist her, but then again who could? That didn't mean she couldn't be useful to her plans.

Towards the end, Selene undid the shackles holding Betsy up and let her naked body fall limply to the floor. By now she was covered in welts, dripping with sweat, and had streaks of fluids dripping from her. She still had the gag in her mouth though, having no desire or motivation to remove it. Looking down at her, Selene saw a dazed and defeated woman. The look on Betsy's face was blank, reflecting a sort of clean slate for her to take and mold as she pleased. Her will had been broken and she was ready to accept a new master. And she was going to make sure that master was her.

"Leave," she told the four masked men.

The men nodded and left as she asked. Once they were gone, Selene set the rod aside and knelt down over the purple haired woman. She removed the gag, allowing her to finally catch her breath. She was really out of it, but she was still conscious and coherent.

"So broken and vulnerable," she said softly into her ear, "Don't worry, I'll give you your strength back. I can make you more powerful than the Hand ever could. You just need to let go…and give into the darkness."

Betsy heard her, but wasn't sure what to make of it. After two and half hours of torture and rape, she could barely think straight. But she was still fully alert. She watched as Selene started softly fondling her. She moaned slightly, her body still reeling from pleasure and pain. Then in a strange show of sexual deviance Selene licked down her breasts. This caused Betsy's face to contort in a bit of discomfort, but Selene kept going. Slowly she trailed her hungry lips down her body. Then she reached her private area, which was still very sensitive from her earlier ravagings.

Selene then looked up at the purple haired woman and flashed her a sadistic grin. She then chanted a mysterious phrase in a language that sounded like a mix between Japanese and Vietnamese. Suddenly her eyes flashed red and a look of raw darkness dominated her face. Licking her lips again, she hungrily pushed her thighs apart and buried her face in her womanhood. The young woman let out a sharp gasp as she was taken by this new feeling. It wasn't like the pleasure she felt when the men fucked her or the pains he felt when Selene whipped her. This was something entirely different. But whatever it was, it was very dark.

"Mmm…feel that?" said Selene, "That's the darkness consuming you. Let it enter your soul. Let it overtake you!"

Selene continued to hungrily eat her out. Betsy's moans grew louder despite her weakened state of mind. She closed her eyes and shifted about as these strange sensations continued to course through her. She was already so weak from the torture. There was nothing she could do to resist. Whatever Selene was doing to her, it was filling her soul with darkness.

She wasn't sure how long it lasted. But it got to a point where Betsy was on the verge of one more orgasm. But this was a different kind of orgasm. It was one driven by darkness. It was one that filled her with more than just pleasure. It filled her with a sense of hate and intent unlike anything she ever felt before. She didn't have the capacity to make sense of it or resist it. All she knew is there was no stopping it. When it hit her eyes flashed the same color as Selene's, indicating that the darkness had taken hold of her and wasn't going to let go.

Selene grinned as she felt Betsy finally give into the darkness. It was the culmination of her conditioning. Xavier just wanted her broken down so that she could be molded to serve the Hellfire Club. She took it a step further, not just breaking her down but giving her a taste for darkness. This would not only make her favor darkness more than Xavier, but give her a skilled ally willing to yield to her every whim.

Rising up from the floor, Selene stood over the naked woman. Her imposing shadow loomed over her in a domineering manner, projecting a commanding aura. Looking up at her from her feeble position, she seemed almost god-like.

"You are now a minion of darkness, Elizabeth Braddock," Selene told her, "Say you will serve me unto the very end."

"I will serve you until the very end," she said in a low, mechanical tone.

"Say I am your mistress and master."

"You are my mistress and master," she repeated.

"You will do exactly as I say and present yourself exactly as I tell you to, understood?"

Betsy didn't answer. She still wouldn't look the Black Queen in the eye. As dazed as she was, she was still not an autonomous machine. Some humanity remained, but it was buried for the moment.

"Do you understand?!" Selene demanded impatiently.

"Yes…I understand," said Betsy in a low tone.

"Good," grinned the Black Queen, "Then welcome to the world of darkness. You're just in time too. There is great change on the horizon. Become a part of it and your rewards will be vast. Just remember, you serve me now. Don't ever forget it."

The Black Queen left the naked woman on the floor of her dungeon to digest that. She looked out of it and yet that hardened expression returned to her face. Her eyes continued to glow as a result of the darkness. She had spent the last three years of her life being used and controlled by the Hand. Now she would spend the rest of her days being used and controlled by a new entity, the Hellfire Club. And Selene had big plans for her and her fellow minions.

* * *

**Up next: Betsy comes to terms with her new role while Emma sews the seeds of new tension.**

**AN: So what do you think so far? Remember, this is the final part so it's important I get some feedback. Send me your reviews via email or post one on the fanfiction website. If you want to see an uncensored version of some of the scenes in this chapter, please check out the link to the adultfanfiction version on my profile. Thank you all very much for reading and I wish everyone the best.  
**


	3. Leaving Behind and Moving Ahead

**New Blood  
Chapter 3: Leaving Behind and Moving Ahead**

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**Club Hellfire**

It had been three days since the attack by the Hand and three days since Selene broke Psylocke. Since then, as those involved recovered, the former Hand assassin was quickly thrust into the ways of the Hellfire Club. Only she wasn't a pawn. She was officially still a prisoner. Having opposed the Hellfire Club and having tried to kill the Black King, she was guilty of an unforgivable transgression. Because of that she had to pay her dues and that involved some pretty 'labor intensive' tasks.

Chief among her new roles was her new job as a sex worker. Her fit, toned body that had been sculpted by years of assassin training was a valuable asset. She already had an affinity for skin tight outfits so she would keep that role, only now she would be taking them off for men who paid her handsomely. She was to immediately begin work on the major night shifts at Club Hellfire where she would cater to all men, regardless of their tastes. With the other pawns, they had a certain level of freedom in their work. They could refuse service from a client, set their own terms for private sessions, and work out their shifts in whatever way they pleased. But Betsy wouldn't have that luxury. She had to work whether she wanted to or not. It was the price she had to pay for opposing the Hellfire Club and she had a long ways to go in repaying it.

But it wasn't just her body and subservience that the Inner Circle planned to use. Her assassin skills should also prove useful. When she wasn't stripping or serving clients, she was also obligated to accompany the other pawns on missions. She was to use her skills to strike at the enemies of the Hellfire Club, whether it was through assassination or torture. She was supposed to be an unthinking, unquestioning minion who would carry out an order in the field no matter what. It was just like her days with the Hand, only the level of control was much stricter.

But despite being relegated to such work and having so few choices in the process, Betsy did not complain or speak out. After Selene got through with her she had become the quiet type. She didn't spark up any conversations, make comments about anything, or really associate with anybody. Some of the young pawns who hadn't been in the fight tried to talk to her, but she never said any more than she had to. It was as if she had accepted her fate as their prisoner and so long as she did as she was told, she would receive some level of comfort.

Tonight was her first shift at Club Hellfire. Emma and Jean had already fitted Betsy with a couple of revealing outfits, mostly purple lingerie and matching thongs, and she was being given a crash course in how to serve clients by the other girls working that night. Among them were Jubilee, Danielle, and Lorna. And they were glad to have someone like her on board who would cater to the clients they didn't like dealing with.

"It gets busiest around ten. And during that time there are supposed to be three girls dancing at all times," Jubilee explained, "When dancing, try and drag it out for a good ten to fifteen minutes depending on the song selection and your outfit."

"And remember, you have to take everything off," said Danielle, "These men paid to see everything and you're going to show them everything."

"Don't worry. I know the drill there," said Betsy.

"But when you're not dancing you should be walking the clubs, looking for a client to serve," Jubilee went on, "Most are pretty easy to entice and most will come to you. Once you have a client, or clients in some cases, take them back to one of the rooms we showed you and do what you have to do to satisfy them."

"Sounds simple enough," shrugged the purple haired mutant.

"But there are some caveats," said Lorna strongly, "Remember, you're officially a prisoner. Jubilee, Danielle, and I are pawns. We have certain privileges and freedoms. We can refuse service to a client if we do not like them. We can refuse to do certain acts in private if we don't want to do them. And we can adjust our schedule if we want if we don't feel in the mood so to speak. But you don't have any of those rights."

"So what does that mean? I just have to do everything they ask?" said Betsy, still not showing any hints of aversion.

"Exactly!" said Lorna, speaking with a touch of scorn in her tone, "If a man asks you to get on all fours, bark like a dog, and lick his ass you have to do it. If a man wants you to stick something inside you that's two sizes too big, you have to do it. Once more, you have to do it for as long as shift as we tell you to. You don't get to adjust your schedule. You don't get to choose your clients."

"And what if I can't get in the mood?"

"Then go back stage. Emma has some drugs that will help. Or talk to Jean or Wanda. They'll cast a spell that will put you in the mood. Either way, you have to do everything we ask of you. No questions. No complaints. That's it. Understand?"

Betsy's expression remained hallow. It wasn't a fair deal to say the least. Lorna was basically telling her that she was a sex slave. But that didn't bother her as much as it should have. She was used to being used. After what Selene did to her, there was nothing these people or these girls could do or say to her to crush her spirits. It had already been crushed. Mistress Selene had already conditioned her for what she was going to do. For now she was just going through the motions.

"I understand," she said flatly.

"Good, then get on stage and start stripping. Your shift begins now," said Lorna sternly.

Betsy obediently complied, but still flashed her a dirty look before slipping away. Just because she couldn't talk back didn't mean she had to be weak. She was still a tough assassin and wasn't about to let these young pawns forget it.

But Lorna didn't care how tough she was. Betsy was a prisoner who they had authority over. Having lived much of her life never being an authority over anything, it was a powerful role she immediately took to. She was already asserting herself as a superior to this woman and wasn't going to let her forget it. Danielle and Jubilee found her sudden power trip a little strange.

"What?" said Lorna, noticing the looks they were giving her.

"Nothing, but don't you think you're being a little brash with her?" said Danielle, "She probably got that same speech from Emma and Jean."

"So what? It's worth reinforcing," said Lorna.

"Is that the only reason?" said Jubilee suspiciously.

Lorna groaned, unable to hide her bitterness over this issue.

"Look, that bitch stabbed Pietro in the leg! Do you really expect me not to be a little bitter?"

"No, but I think she got plenty of punishment from Selene," said Danielle.

"Maybe, but I don't get over this sort of thing that easily," said Lorna, "As far as I'm concerned, she still has to pay her dues. And I'm going to make sure she pays them. If you want to play it soft, be my guest. But Lord Xavier and Mistress Selene taught us to be tough on our enemies. And just because Psylocke works with us now doesn't mean we have to cut her any slack."

Before Danielle and Jubilee could comment any further, Lorna stormed off. She wasn't having any more of this conversation. They both understood the idea of being tough with enemies and anybody who tried to kill the Black King definitely qualified as an enemy. But making her a sex slave wasn't enough for Lorna. They assumed there were personal reasons involved, namely what she did to Pietro. But she was still pushing it.

"Yeesh, talk about bitter. She's been hanging around Alex too much," Jubilee commented.

"I'll say. I wouldn't want to be in Betsy's shoes right now," said Danielle, "It's bad enough she's our prisoner. But now she's got an angry Lorna to deal with."

"How far do you think she'll take it?" asked Jubilee.

"In the Hellfire Club? You never know."

Danielle and Jubilee were content to leave this issue as it was for now. They had their own shifts coming up and now that Betsy would be taking on the clients they didn't like, they would have even more freedom to do as they pleased. It promised to be a good night for all of them, except Betsy.

While the girls walked off, Betsy got on stage and began doing as she was instructed. A new song started playing and she began sensually slipping out of her skimpy clothes to the hoots and hollers of rich, sexually charged men. Even as they tossed money at her and reached out to touch her, her expression didn't change. She didn't care that she was doing something like this, degrading herself in the face of horny men. She didn't even care that these men were intent on doing things to her that even the Hand never did. This was her life now and she was going to have to accept it.

While she danced to a growing crowd, Warren and James Poundstar sat back in a VIP booth admiring the Hellfire Club's newest face. James, who was still wearing an eye-patch for that stunt she pulled on him in the attack, didn't look upon her nearly as fondly as their high paying clients. But Warren insisted on dragging him out here tonight. It was his twisted way of having him get over his bitterness. He wasn't there when Psylocke attacked them so he didn't have nearly as many ill-feelings towards her as he did. If anything, Warren admired her womanly features as much as the other men.

"Quite a nice addition you guys picked up," Warren commented, "Almost worth enduring a surprise attack."

"That's easy for you to say. You weren't there and you didn't get stabbed in the eye!" said James harshly as he slammed back some drinks.

"Oh get over it," scoffed Warren, "Your eye will be fine and you can do whatever you want to her now that she's here. Just leave it at that and be happy it wasn't as messy as it could have been."

"That's some advice coming from a man who built his reputation as being messy. Seriously, how many times have you tormented Worthington Industry rivals with tactics that are anything but clean?"

"Apples and oranges, my friend. Your work in the field is not the same as my work in the office. Different settings call for different tactics. And considering how well Mistress Selene worked Betsy over and how hard Lord Xavier is striking at the Hand, I'd say both our tactics are appropriate. To still be bitter about it is just childish."

Warpath muttered a curse under his breath as he took another drink from a nearby stripper. Warren's arrogance never ceased to amaze him. It's probably what made him such a good businessman. He had no capacity for empathy or sympathy. As far as he was concerned, Betsy was just another opportunity for him and another beautiful woman to spend time with.

"If it makes you feel any better, just know that Betsy will be pulling her weight around here," said Warren, not taking her eyes off her, "I spent the last two days personally preparing her for her duties here. I even organized a few tests in the arena to measure her skills. She's quite the fighter."

"No need to convince me there," said James, pointing towards his eye-patch.

"But beyond that, she's got a skilled mind. Lord Xavier says she will prove useful as a mid-level telepath. But in her current state of mind her abilities may be somewhat limited."

"After what Selene did to her I can only imagine," said James, laughing somewhat at how much she changed since her time in Selene's torture chamber.

"And then there's that body of hers," said Warren, holding his glass high as he watched her slip out of her thong on stage to a crowd of loving admirers, "She's definitely in good shape for an assassin. She'll do well here. Mistress Selene has already designated me as her personal overseer."

"How'd you wind up with that job?" scoffed Warpath.

"I volunteered," grinned Warren, "Something about exotic women like her intrigues me. I'm very interested in getting to know her a little better. I'm also very interested to give her the proper 'conditioning' per se."

"Whatever," sighed the Apache warrior who went back to his drink, "Just don't expect me to start liking her anytime soon."

"Suite yourself, James. But one way or another, I intend to become very friendly with our new little assassin. I know she's tough and a bit dazed after what Mistress Selene did to her. But I like that in a girl."

James rolled his eyes and turned his attention to the other girls in the club. Warren had strange tastes to say the least. A girl comes in and tries to kill the Black King, they capture her and break her, and now she's a mindless servant to the Hellfire Club. Yet somehow Warren finds something in her that intrigues him. It didn't make any sense, but then again few things this man did made sense to begin with. He was arrogant, but he was also dark in many ways. He never got a good vibe from him, but as far as he was concerned he was an over-the-top playboy. If he wanted to waste his time with Betsy, that was his problem.

But to Warren, his interest in this girl hardly extended to just her skills and beauty. This was a girl who had a powerful set of skills and knew how to use them. She was able to get the drop on Lord Xavier and his associates and inflict some serious punishment. That definitely caught his fancy because he loved tough yet subservient women. It caught Mistress Selene's fancy too because anybody who could pull of a surprise attack on a man like Charles Xavier was worthy of some respect. Now that she was broken down, she had the potential to be molded in a new way. Mistress Selene trusted him to do this molding. And he had plans that would not only bring out the darkness within her, but make her a valuable asset for when Mistress Selene moved ahead in her plans.

* * *

**Hellfire Wardrobe**

Thanks to the Hellfire Club's advanced medical technology, Emma was successfully treated from the effects of the paralysis disk. Two days stuck in a bed was tough, but it gave her time to think and contemplate what she had set into motion with Scott. Even with the unpleasant after effects of the attack, she had never been more excited and focused. At last she had the opportunity she had been waiting for. Scott saved her life and it was only proper that she return the favor. But she planned to do much more than just reward him.

As soon as she was given a clean bill of health, Emma began making preparations. She started gathering all the materials she would need to make this happen. For Scott, she had to pull out all the stops. She wasn't just going to seduce this man. She was going to capture his heart. By the time she was through with him, Jean Grey will be nothing but an afterthought.

At the moment, she was in the Hellfire wardrobe going through her vast collection of sexy attire. Having been at the Hellfire Club for many years, she acquired a vast arsenal of sexy clothes that she had her own area, dwarfing what any of the other women had. For this, she needed the best she had so she broke out every piece of expensive, sexy lingerie she had and began trying them on. Monet was with her, having been roped into helping her since many of the other girls were busy working or helping out on missions against the Hand. And surprisingly, Monet was supportive of Emma's endeavor. She almost seemed intrigued.

"What do you think? Will this little number make him faint on the spot or just make his pants explode?" said Emma confidently as she showed off her latest outfit.

"That depends," said Monet as she watched Emma admire herself in the mirror, "Are you trying to reach his heart or his libido?"

"Is it so wrong to want to reach both?" she said coyly.

"No, but I would strive for a little more balance."

Monet was probably right. Looking at herself now, she could seduce his libido but not his heart. She had on only a very revealing micro-thong that she had custom made in Milan. The sides were as thin as strings and were so revealing the only real coverage it had was over her private areas. She turned around to look at her butt, which was more or less exposed. She had some nice matching stockings to go with it, but it still seemed like something more appropriate for stripping and not seducing a lover.

"Not everything has to be so revealing, Emma," said Monet, "You just need to find something that's seductive, but not distracting."

"Oh I'm definitely going to need to distract him," said Emma as she slipped out of the stockings and thong, "I need to make sure Scott will be so enticed by me he won't be able to think of anything else."

"And just why would you want that?" said Monet with a suspicious tone.

"You're a genius. You figure it out."

Monet grinned. Emma claimed she was just repaying Scott for saving her life. But she couldn't keep herself from dropping hints that she was out for something a little more. It was almost humorous because Monet never figured Emma as the loving type. But she held back her laugher as Emma tried on another set of lingerie.

"Fine, be like that. But I must say, Emma, you're going an awfully long way just to repay this man," she commented.

"He saved my life. He deserves more than just a meaningless romp…much more," said Emma distantly as she admired her figure in the mirror.

"And you think you're entitled to give it to him?"

"Why not? Scott and I have a certain closeness that extends beyond the bedroom. He's one of the few men who aren't intimidated by my beauty or my personality. There are times I bug him and there are times he pushes my buttons as well. But we do it in a good way."

"That makes no logical sense," scoffed Monet.

"Oh stop thinking so logically for once in your life!" grinned Emma as she posed in front of the mirror in another style of thong and stockings, "You may see me as cold and unfeeling like everyone else here, but believe it or not I do have a capacity for affection. It may not be the normal kind you see in cheesy movies or couples in the park, but it's every bit as meaningful."

Then Emma's tone shifted. That snide, overconfident look on her face changed to something more serious and deeper. It was a look Monet never saw before. Even though she hadn't been with the Hellfire Club long, she knew it was significant when this woman got emotional.

"It isn't enough to just be infatuated with someone. Infatuation is just a state of mind. At its core it is utterly meaningless in the long run. To really have a bond with someone, you need to be able to push him to be a better man and he has to push you to be a better woman. It's pointless to just go through the motions of courtship and lovemaking when there's no substance behind it."

"And you think you and Scott have substance?" Monet surmised.

Emma's serious expression faded and she smiled wryly.

"We have something. It just needs to be fleshed out in the right way."

"Fleshed out…right," snickered Monet.

"And they say I have a dirty mind," laughed Emma as she stripped out of her outfit and tried on another.

"Sorry, but your choice of words is a little unorthodox to say the least," said Monet, "It leads me to assume that your history with these matters has been unorthodox as well."

"Assume whatever you want, Monet. You'll still be wrong," said Emma as she slipped on a new pair of stockings, "What do you think of these?"

"Too short and doesn't go well with the thong," Monet answered quickly, "But tell me why I would be wrong? I am a psychic too, you know? I do pick up on things. And whenever you mention Scott I get these feelings from you that are…mixed, for a lack of a better word."

"Your telepathy is antiquated at best," scoffed Emma, "You just couldn't make sense of what you were sensing."

"Maybe, but that doesn't mean that it's wrong. Perhaps I'm just not sensing the whole story because there's something you're hiding."

"Even if that was true, there's no way I would ever share my personal secrets just because you're too weak to probe my mind for them."

Monet scorned the snide blonde. But Emma didn't bat an eye at her. She came across plenty of harsh personalities in her life, but this woman was among the elite. She was driven to say the least, but she was also unyielding to any sort of scrutiny. Nothing was going to convince her to rethink why she was doing this. Nothing was going to convince her it would turn out any other way than the way she wanted. That kind of conceit was remarkable, but it didn't bother Emma in the slightest.

"I don't care about your scrutiny, Monet. I know what I'm doing and I've already set everything up," said Emma as she turned her attention back to the mirror, "I reserved a very special suite at a very special hotel downtown. Scott and I will have it to ourselves for the entire night. And I intend to use every minute to not only repay him, but to connect with him in a way more meaningful than he could ever connect with someone."

"That sounds uncharacteristically kind of you, Emma," said Monet, "Don't you think Jean Grey will have something to say about that?"

"Oh please, that woman is just a nuisance. She's been holding him back for years. He deserves a more meaningful connection with someone who understands him."

"And yet he clearly loves her," said Monet, "I've seen them together."

"What you see is a farce," said Emma firmly, "Their relationship has been a joke since day one. They're only together because they think they're supposed to be together. They arrived at the same time so it's only logical they would start going through the motions. But I'm going to show him the truth. I'm going to show him what real love is. And he will see the light. I'll make sure of it."

There was a touch of sinister intent in her tone. It was almost as if she wasn't going to be denied. That kind of determination would have made most people cringe, but Monet just smiled. As harsh a personality as this woman had, she liked her grit. She was willing to do anything to get what she wanted. This situation was especially pertinent because there was an emotional element to it. She still hid it, but she clearly had a thing for Scott Summers.

"It seems you really planned this out," said Monet, folding her arms assertively.

"Everything but what to wear," she said as she slipped out of her outfit and searched for something else, "Now are you going to keep with this meaningless argument or are you going to help me choose?"

"I accept that you are beyond scrutiny in this matter. If you want to pursue this man, then by all means. Just be prepared if it doesn't go your way."

"Oh it will," said Emma confidently, "I know it will."

Monet's grin widened. This little affair just kept getting better and better.

"In that case, there's nothing more for me to say," she shrugged, "But if you really want my fashion advice, I say stick with the first thong you tried on, ditch the stockings, and go with a simple matching camisole. But then again what do I know? I just have a genius level IQ."

Having given her advice, Monet walked out and left Emma to her elaborate plans. She was through trying to get through that charming personality of hers. She wasn't going to bother trying to make sense of why she wanted to seduce Scott so much. There were just some things beyond even her understanding. But personality or not, Emma was playing a dangerous game. She was so certain she didn't seem to have any concern for rejection. And in her experience, when someone like her got rejected they didn't take it very well. It could make for an opportunity that Mistress Selene would surely be interested in.

The blonde telepath rolled her eyes as Monet left and kept sifting through her vast wardrobe. That woman may be smart, but she was an enigma. Ever since she arrived her personality had been in flux. Most of the time she carried with her this dark demeanor. She suspected she must have spent a little too much extra time with Selene. But that was her problem. All she cared about now was making this plan of hers work.

'_Hmm…maybe the thong would go well with a camisole. Scott's seen me in any number of provocative attire. If I really want to reach him, perhaps I should just keep it simple...simple yet still sexy.'_

Emma continued with her rigorous pursuit for the perfect seduction piece. But unknown to her, the conversation with Monet hadn't gone unheard. Standing just outside the wardrobe, Jean Grey had been listening in. She had just been passing by, looking to get a new outfit for Psylocke to try out in her first shift. She passed by just in time to hear Emma lay out her plan for 'repaying' Scott and belittle her relationship with Scott. Naturally, she grew very concerned.

She knew Emma had a unique friendship with Scott. Over the past four years, they became fairly close. He was probably the only one Emma really reached out to. She also slept with him more than any other man. It bothered her at first, but she and Scott worked past it. And she never suspected Emma wanted anything more in Scott than a good lover. Then again, Emma Frost was always a hard woman to read. She couldn't pick up on her thoughts like she could with others. But after hearing this she got a bad feeling that maybe there was something more to her affection for Scott than just bedroom antics.

Emma was clearly planning something. She never spoke highly of her relationship with Scott to begin with and now it looked as though she was taking it to a new extreme. She couldn't let that happen. She couldn't just let her steal the man she loved for her own selfish gain. She had to do something about it. She was tempted to just barge in and start beating the truth out of this woman, but knowing Emma that wouldn't do any good. She had only one other option. She had to talk to Scott.

* * *

**X-Industrial – Rooftop**

Jean had been pacing restlessly on the rooftop for what felt like two hours. But every time she checked her watch she was amazed to see that it had barely been a half hour. She was restless, anxious, and downright on edge. And for her that was saying something. She could balance life as a stripper, an aspiring mystic, an influential Hellfire operative and manager, and a powerful psychic and yet when something like this came along she was hysterical. Once again an issue with her relationship with Scott was affecting her. And she had to confront before it got any worse.

She was beginning to see why everybody warned her against getting romantically involved with anybody over the years. She liked to think she and Scott had done a good job of managing it through the many challenges they faced. They worked through having multiple sex partners, they worked through the brutal environment of the Hellfire Club, and they worked through Logan coming into the picture. Some of those issues still weren't resolved, but they were still managing. They still loved each other and had a special bond. That had never changed. But this was a new challenge with Emma Frost had the potential to be truly difficult.

Jean's pacing finally ceased when she heard the distinct sounds of the Hellfire Club's helicopter descending from above. She watched anxiously as it landed on the rooftop. She sensed Scott was inside with Piotr, Logan, and Rogue. They were just getting back from a mission against the Hand, who Lord Xavier had begun striking against in wake of the attack. But it wasn't the mission that concerned her. As soon as Scott stepped out she ran up to greet him.

"Jean? What are you doing here? Is something wrong?" he asked instinctively as he stepped onto the rooftop.

"No, nothing's wrong. I just wanted to talk to you about something," she said over the sound of the helicopter rotors.

"Can it wait? I need to report to Lord Xavier on the mission."

"No Scott, it can't wait," she said seriously.

She had that look in her eye that left no room for argument. Scott knew it well and it was the kind of look that he couldn't escape, even with all his relentless Hellfire training. With the helicopter engine now silent Logan, Rogue, and Piotr stepped out. They were equally surprised to see Jean, but she seemed intent on talking to Scott.

"Everything okay?" Logan inquired.

"Everything's fine, Logan," said Scott strongly, "Go give Lord Xavier the report."

"You sure about that?" he questioned.

"Go Logan. I'll catch up."

Logan shot him a sharp glare, but Scott ignored it. His focus was entirely on Jean. He had a pretty good idea what this was about. He could see it in Jeannie's eyes. This was bound to come up sooner or later. It looked as though it was going to be sooner. He was tempted to stay, but Piotr and Rogue pulled him away.

"Let's go, Logan. This sounds like a private matter," said Piotr.

"Yeah, ya don't wanna be around for that," said Rogue.

Logan didn't say a word and followed them back into the building, leaving Scott and Jean alone to discuss this issue. Jean waited for them to be out of hearing distance. This wasn't something she wanted the others in on. They got enough scrutiny already. But even after they had left, Jean didn't say anything. She just turned away and started pacing again, not sure how to begin a conversation like this. That only made Scott worry even more.

"What's this about Jean? Is something wrong?" he asked.

"You could say that," she said as she looked out over the rooftop, "I overheard a conversation between Monet and Emma earlier. Emma said something about 'repaying' you for saving her back in Japan."

Scott shifted awkwardly.

"Yeah, I was going to tell you about that. It's no big deal really. Emma just wants to thank me."

"And she's doing that by spending the night with you in a private hotel suite across the city doing any number of wild sex acts?" said Jean apprehensively.

"Well…yeah," shrugged Scott, "I assumed she wanted something a little more meaningful than the usual thank-you sex. We've done it before. It's no different than what you do with Logan."

"Please don't try and throw Logan into this," said Jean sternly, "This isn't just about you and Emma having sex. That I'm used to. It's just this whole setup she's putting together. A private room, an entire night together, and lingerie so revealing its illegal in some states…it seems pretty elaborate for a simple thank you."

"I saved her life. She considers that a pretty big deal," Scott shrugged, "Why does that bother you so much?"

"Are you sure that's all she's doing?" said Jean suspiciously, "Because from what I heard, Emma has bigger plans."

"Well she did say she had some other surprise for me. But I don't see why that's a big deal."

It was at that point the tension within Jean became too much.

"Well it is! It is a big deal, okay?! How can you be so casual about this?! This is Emma fucking Frost! She's a lying, cheating, manipulative bitch! Do you really think she just wants to thank you?! Damn it, Scott, you're so cautious about everything else! Why aren't you the same with her?!"

Scott was taken aback. He didn't expect Jean to just explode like that. She was talking as though Emma was out to get her or something. It didn't make sense. Sure Emma and Jean weren't the best of friends. There were times they were practically rivals and his friendship with Emma never helped. But he thought they worked this out years ago when they first got together. Why was this coming up now?

Scott watched as Jean paced over towards the edge of the roof and leaned on the rail. She was still very tense and visibly worked up. He gave her some space for a moment, but as the silence grew awkward he walked up next to her and gently put a hand on her shoulder. She didn't pull away, but she still felt tense. This wasn't supposed to be that big a deal. Emma just wanted to repay him for saving her life. But it clearly meant more to Jean.

"Jean…"

"Don't start, Scott. I know I just made a total fool of myself," she said sheepishly.

"We're all entitled to some sort of breakdown every now and then," he said with a half smile, "But come on Jean, I love you. Why is this bothering you so much all of the sudden? I thought we were beyond the whole issue with me and Emma being friends."

"Funny, didn't I say that about me and Logan?" Jean quipped.

"I thought you wanted to keep that out of this conversation," Scott reminded her.

"Sorry, but I think it is relevant. You once told me you suspected Logan of having deeper feelings for me. And you said you worried that those feelings may be strong enough for him to try something extreme one day."

"And I still have those concerns," said Scott, "But he hasn't tried anything and he hasn't torn us apart. We're still in love, aren't we?"

"Yes, but now I get the feeling Emma may have those feelings towards you," said Jean, finally turning towards him with a concerned look in her eye.

Scott shifted awkwardly again. That was a bit of a shocker. He knew Emma was not the most affectionate person in the world. She was friendly with him and Lord Xavier, but pretty cold around everybody else. In all the time he spent with her he did catch her flirting with him at times. But he dismissed it as part of her sensual personality. Jean seemed to think otherwise.

"We're friends, Jean. Just because she opens up to me and no one else doesn't mean she has those kinds of feelings for me. Trust me, I would have seen the signs. I saw them in Logan, didn't I?"

"Emma's different," she said distantly, "Emma's much better at hiding her feelings around people. I don't know if even Lord Xavier can sense what makes that woman tick, but when I heard her talking to Monet I just got this bad feeling, you know? Maybe I'm being paranoid, but I can't help what I sensed!"

She was getting worked up again. This time Scott moved in closer, slipping his arm around her waist and hugged her a little. This helped calm her down, but she continued to worry.

"What if she does have feelings for you? What if this whole thanking you for saving her life is just an excuse to get you alone and get you to fall for her?"

"I don't think she would plan something like that and even if she did, you know I won't fall for her," said Scott strongly, "Emma's a good friend and all, but I'm in love with you, Jean. Nothing is going to change that. Not even a million nights with Emma could change that."

"You say that and I believe you, but the vibe I get when I'm around her just feels…wrong. Emma isn't the most stable person in the world. What if she tries something extreme? Something even Logan would never do?"

Scott then took her hand and held it firmly.

"It'll be okay, Jean. I won't let it get that far. I promise."

"But this is Emma we're talking about," Jean emphasized, "How can you be sure?"

"Because there's nothing extreme enough she or anybody else can do that would stop me from loving you," he said, squeezing her hands tighter, "You once said the same thing when I mentioned Logan. And I trusted you to keep that promise. Now I'm asking you to trust me with the same thing."

It was ironic in many ways. Not long ago she and Scott were in this same predicament, only it was her and Logan that was the issue and not him and Emma. That caused a great deal of tension between them, but they were able to work through it. It wasn't completely resolved, but the worst was behind them. Scott accepted that she would not let Logan's feelings for her affect their relationship. Now it was her turn. But this was going to be harder.

Emma Frost was not like Logan. As much as Logan pined for her, there were certain lines he never crossed. He never tried to kill Scott to get with her and he never tried to manipulate her into loving him back. He would criticize, belittle, and scorn her relationship with Scott at every turn. But he would never directly attack it. And over these past nine months he pulled back a little, as if he was growing to accept the fact that she would never feel the same way about him.

But Emma may not be so accommodating. She never was much for limits, especially when it came to getting what she wanted. But regardless of her cunning, Scott seemed dead serious. He really wasn't going to let her come between them. She took comfort in that, but she was still worried.

"I do trust you, Scott," she said with a sigh, "Our relationship has endured stripping, sex rituals, and missions involving coldblooded murder. And I don't think I could have held it together through any of it if you hadn't been by my side."

"Me neither," said Scott, "And that's why I'm not leaving your side anytime soon. I promise you if Emma does try something, I'll get through it."

"I don't know. I just…the thought of giving her a whole night work you over still makes me so…"

But Scott didn't let her finish. He just held her closer and looked her in the eye, making sure she sensed in him how determined he was to earn her trust.

"It's just one night, Jean. That's all," he told her, "And when it's over I promise you nothing will be different. I'll even make it up to you this Saturday on our special night."

"But…"

"No buts, Jean. I'm not asking you to approve of this. I'm not even asking you to work it out with Emma. I'm just asking you to trust me."

It was a simple request, but one that seemed so daunting given the circumstances. She wished she could just brush it off and trust him. But she just couldn't do it. It wasn't that easy. Now she knew how he must have felt when she was with Logan. It was not a pleasant feeling. And just being near him, knowing that he was going to do this one way or another, was hard.

She unexpectedly pulled away from him, leaving Scott somewhat at a loss. But she didn't storm off or yell at him. She just looked back at him with those alluring green eyes, the same concerns still dominating in her gaze.

"I do trust you, Scott. I just need you to know how I feel about this. And I know I can't tell you what to do here anymore than you could when I started getting close to Logan. So I'm not going to try. I'm just going to have to endure."

"So you're not even going to try and understand?" said Scott, taken aback.

"I understand, Scott," she told him honestly, "That's exactly why I need space."

Scott was speechless. A minute ago she was yelling at him. Now she was just walking away from this saying she was going to tough it out. That wasn't how he wanted this to go. It never bothered her before when he and Emma spent time together. Whatever conversation she overheard with her must have been something. But that didn't matter to him.

"So what? Are you just going to avoid me until it's over?" he asked her.

Jean was silent for a moment. Then she looked away.

"I still love you, Scott. Don't think for a second I don't," she said, "But I'm going to do whatever I have to for us to get through this. When everything is said and done, let me know so we can move on."

"Jean come on, this doesn't have to be that big a deal!" said Scott, getting frustrated.

"I'm sorry, Scott. But it is a big deal. And as soon as you understand that, let me know. I'll be waiting."

Jean then left him, making sure he couldn't run after her. She used her telekinesis to take to the sky and fly over the city back towards Hellfire Manor. It left Scott in a difficult and confused state. When Emma offered to 'thank' him for saving her life, he had no idea it would lead to something like this. He hoped he and Jean were beyond these issues involving having other lovers. But this wasn't just about other lovers to her. This was about something deeper that he didn't understand. The idea of things being distant between them until this was over didn't sit well. But he wasn't about to let this issue tear them apart. He made a promise to Jean and he intended to keep it, even if Emma did try something. He just wished he didn't have to.

Looking out over the vast cityscape, Scott Summers let out a deep sigh. Relationships were complicated, especially in the Hellfire Club. He often wondered what it would be like if they were a normal couple outside this place. Would it be simpler? Would it be any less complicated? But it was useless to contemplate. These things weren't easy. Nothing worth having ever was. If he was to get through this with Jean he would have to do like her and endure. He just hoped she was wrong about Emma or that may make things far more complicated.

* * *

**Logan's Quarters**

After the debriefing with Lord Xavier, Logan secluded himself in his quarters for some much needed alone time. He hadn't paid much attention. Piotr and Rogue did most of the talking. He just filled in the blanks, which was not unusual for him. But his mind was preoccupied.

He couldn't stop thinking about Jean and that look on her face when she confronted Scott after they got back. He didn't bother sticking around to eavesdrop on the conversation. He had a pretty good idea what it was about. He hadn't forgotten that little exchange he saw between Scott and Emma in the infirmary three days ago. He also hadn't forgotten that look Emma gave him. It was only a matter of time before Jean got wind of it and she was obviously anxious about it. And she had every reason to be. He knew what Emma was planning and like it or not, he was caught up in this.

He was still stuck on his feelings for Jean. These past nine months, it had gotten easier. But they hadn't gone away. He still felt strongly for her. He just wasn't as sure about it as he used to be. Raven had really been a key factor for that. She made him question what he thought he felt and she may have even given him new feelings for her. But he had enough problems working on his feelings for one woman. Now it wasn't just a matter of dealing with them. He was caught up in a situation that could really hurt her.

He still vividly remembered Emma's offer that fateful day. She offered to help him get Jean if he helped her get Scott. He resisted that offer for the last nine months despite her constant pestering. Not it appeared his time was up. If he didn't decide now Emma would go on without him. And whatever happened as a result would be on his shoulders.

"You've been avoiding me, Logan," said a familiar snide voice.

Logan growled at the sound of that voice as he got up from his bed and looked to see Emma standing in his doorway, wearing her distinct revealing white Hellfire uniform, looking as snide as ever.

"What do you want, Frost?"

"Oh come now, you know why I'm here. And you know why you can't avoid me forever," she grinned vainly, "I expected you to overhear my little conversation with Scott. But I'm a bit surprised you haven't said a word about it since, not even to Jean."

"Jeannie already knows," he muttered.

"I'm sure she does," she said dryly, "But this isn't about her. This is about you. I've given you a good deal of time to consider my offer. You've spent the last nine months watching her in that pitiful joke she calls a relationship. I have been patient and bided my time. But I can't wait any longer. I will make my move with or without you."

"And what does that involve?" scoffed Logan, "You just going to seduce him and fuck his brains out until he forgets he loves Jean and says he loves you?"

"Hardly, but you're on the right track," she grinned, "Let's just say when I get through with him, he'll reconsider his choice of relationships. And Jean Grey will be in quite a vulnerable position."

"And you expect me to be there to keep her from going off on you?"

"Oh please, I can handle that woman. I don't give a damn how upset she gets. She's had her time with Scott. But if you would be willing to help me I could make it easier on all of us."

"And just how do you plan on doing that?" said Logan.

"That I can't tell you," she said with a mischievous grin, "All you need to know is that you'll have the opportunity to be the one to catch her when she falls. And with my help, I can ensure that she gets the necessary 'push' to end up in your arms and no one else's. It all comes down to a simple question. Do you or do you not want to be with Jean?"

Logan rose up and stared into her cold, calculating gaze. She was dangling in front of him something he so desperately wanted and one way or another it was going to affect him and the woman he loved. It was so tempting to just take a chance. But every time he looked into this woman's eyes his instincts pulled him back.

He remained silent, much to Emma's chagrin. She thought he would eventually come around after seeing Jean and Scott together long enough. But he was a stubborn, foolish man. His assistance would make this much easier, but she didn't need him to do what she had to do. She had already put part of her plan into action. With or without him, she was going to do this.

"Figures," she sighed, "You never hesitate to gut some random enemy to death but when I ask you as simple question about your hearts desire, you just stand there in silence. It's pathetic really."

"Look whose talking. You're about to try and force your way into Summers's heart, thinkin' you can make him love you more than Jean."

"You're saying I can't?"

"I'm saying that's also pretty damn pathetic. Because either way, you'll end up hurting him. And someone once told me if you really love somebody, you do everything you can not to hurt them."

Emma looked at Logan deadpanned and scoffed. Whoever told him that was an even greater fool than him.

"That's just stupid."

"You would know, blondie."

"You did not just turn this matter into a blonde joke," she said sternly.

"What do you expect me to do?!" Logan exclaimed, "You think spending the last nine months pining for Jeannie is going to make me so desperate that I'm willing to watch her get hurt just to be with her?!"

"Actually…yes," said Emma snidely.

Logan's face contorted in anger. He clenched his fists, his claws itching to come out and mess up that picturesque face of hers. But this woman wasn't worth it. Attacking her wasn't going to stop her. Nothing was going to stop this woman. He came across some pretty sadistic people in his life, but this woman ranked in a class all her own.

It was then his decision became clear to him. Even if what she was offering was something he desperately wanted, he could not go through with this. Mystique was right. It was a mistake to help this woman. She was a bitter, snide woman who had no sense of judgment. As far as he was concerned she was almost as bad as Selene. If she really was going to go through with this, tormenting and manipulating somebody into loving her, then he wanted no part of it. He could never do that to someone he loved.

"Get out," he said, his tone seething with anger.

"Are you sure?" said Emma, undaunted, "If I leave, consider my offer expired."

"If you don't leave consider yourself expired!" Logan roared, "I said get out!"

He drew both his claws to emphasize his point. It took Emma by surprise and kept her from making another snide comment. But she was not deterred. She got the message. If he didn't want her help in getting Jean's affections, so be it. All that mattered to her was getting Scott away from Jean and into her arms. He was all that mattered now. As far as she was concerned, Jean was just collateral damage. If Logan didn't want to help pick up the pieces, that was his problem.

"Suit yourself," she told him, "Just remember you had your chance."

Logan watched as she casually walked off, not intimidated or deterred by his show of anger. Even after she was gone he just stood in the middle of his room fuming. That woman had some gall. Summers should have let that Hand assassin kill her on the spot. He was glad he wasn't helping her. But at the same time he was conflicted. He may very well have just lost his only real chance to be with Jean Grey. But even if Emma could somehow keep her end of the bargain, would it be worth seeing her so hurt? He wouldn't get a chance to find out now.

His anger eventually subsided and he withdrew his claws. He had no idea what Emma Frost was going to pull now that he rejected her offer. Now he wouldn't be prepared if this plan of hers worked and left Jean hurt. And even if he was there for her, there was nothing he could do to push her into loving him. But that all depended on whether or not Emma's little ploy would succeed or not. That may depend on just how much Scott loved Jean and how good his willpower was. He didn't know or care for Summers enough to contemplate that. There were too many possibilities to consider.

Logan was truly at a loss. He had no idea how he was going to deal with this. He needed a drink. Maybe Raven was in the mood for a little time at the bar. He needed someone to help him vent. It was her advice that got him to this point. Maybe she had some advice to help him through it.

* * *

**Selene's Chamber**

"Yes…I see…good, then everything went according to plan…no, the Hand doesn't know I ordered the assassination of Kirigi. That attack on Xavier was just blind retaliation…no, Xavier doesn't suspect a thing…don't worry, he won't…trust me, I know how to handle him…I understand. No need to drag this out any further. I got what I wanted from the Hand and so did you…don't push it. Goodbye, Elektra."

Selene hung up her phone and set it aside as she paced about in her chamber in a rare upbeat mood. She had good reason to feel accomplished. She just pulled off an act of deception worthy of Hellfire lore. The Hand was in chaos and the Hellfire Club was moving in on their once sacred territory. They thought Xavier ordered the murder of their leader so they tried to kill him in response. They failed of course, but that only prompted Xavier to hit them harder. It was just as Selene hoped, but what they didn't know is this little war was orchestrated in secret by her.

The Hand was a smart and well-equipped organization. They knew attacking the Hellfire Club was foolhardy at best. But that's where Selene came in. She made a deal with a disgruntled assassin who, like Psylocke, was brought into the organization against her will. Her name was Elektra with her help, Monet and a few of her elite guards snuck into the Hand and assassinate their leader, Kirigi. After that, irrational outrage took over. The Hand took the assassination of their leader as the gravest of insults and foolishly attempted to retaliate by sending an assassination squad to hit Xavier. It would have been nice if they succeeded, but Selene knew better than that. Charles would not be defeated by a mere sneak attack. And because of their failure, they now had the full force of the Hellfire Club bearing down on them.

It worked out perfectly. A rival organization was being weakened, Charles and Moria were distracted from her plans, and they got a new submissive recruit out of it. But these were all just bonuses. The true reason behind her scheme against the Hand ran much deeper than just inciting random chaos. It was all part of her plan and so far it was going flawlessly.

She chose to celebrate by pouring a glass of her favorite whine. But just as she was about to begin drinking she heard a knock on her door.

"You may enter," said Selene as she casually sipped her wine.

The door opened and Monet walked in. Selene raised her glass to her loyal follower. Monet took strongly to her conditioning. Gone was the obsessive compulsive workaholic who was never satisfied with her accomplishments. In her place was a woman who sought her perfection in another way and she was helping her in every possible way to get it.

"I have what you asked for," she said, "It arrived today via private courier."

"Excellent!" said Selene proudly, "I assume there were no troubles?"

"None at all, Mistress Selene. I was able to steal it from Kirigi's desk in the heart of the Hand's headquarters. They were so caught up in his assassination they failed to keep track of their artifacts."

"Typical Hand arrogance," said the Black Queen with a mock sigh, "Let me see it."

Monet nodded and reached into her pocket to take out the artifact that was behind this whole affair with the hand. It was a brilliant, ruby-like gem about the size of her fist. It wasn't cut or decorated like a piece of jewelry. It was more like a polished rock. It had a strange dark glow to it and a distinct, blood red hue. When she handed it to Selene, her eyes flashed with intensity. Monet was no expert on magic, but even she could feel the strange aura of power emanating from this relic.

"The last blood stone," she mused as she gazed into her glossy reflection in the stone, "Forged in the very pits of Hell itself, they say whoever holds this stone holds the keys to Hell's gates."

"So what was the Hand using it for? Why weren't they opening Hell's gates themselves?" asked Monet.

"Ha! Those fools may know magic, but they can't even begin to understand such power! They probably just used it for something childish like bringing people back from the dead or casting spells that allowed them to control their minions."

"So what are we going to use it for?" Monet asked intently.

The Black Queen just laughed as she clutched the stone in her fist.

"That, my young pupil, is a conversation for another day. Don't concern yourself with the details. Just know that this stone has properties that will prove useful for what I have planned."

"I…I understand, Mistress Selene," said Monet, remaining submissive to her master.

Monet watched as Selene stashed the stone away in her private safe. She seemed particularly excited about this strange relic. To her, it was a sign that they were drawing ever closer to executing this master plan of hers. She still wouldn't let them in on the details, but the more she learned the more intent she was at seeing it through. Ever since she tasted darkness, she wanted to see how far she could take it. Like everything else in her life, she wanted to see this new side of herself perfected and she could only do that through Selene. That is why she had to help her.

She continued to linger even after Selene locked her private safe with the stone inside. Aside from making this very important delivery, she wanted to bring up the issue concerning Emma she recently learned about. Being the overachiever she was, she always looked for ways to set herself apart.

"That's one step closer to my ultimate goal," grinned Selene, "I believe we're done, Monet."

"Thank you, Mistress Selene. But while I am here there is another matter I hoped to discuss with you."

"Is it pressing? I have little time for trivial matters."

"I understand, but this may have some bearing on your plans so I feel it is only proper to inform you of it."

Selene looked at her with a hint of intrigue. Monet was a bit of a suck-up at times, but she took her role seriously.

"Go on," said the Black Queen.

"It involves Emma Frost," she said, "She's been caught up in something recently."

"Emma Frost?" scoffed Selene, "Why could possibly be going on with that snide bitch that's of any interest to my plans?"

"I assure you it is a serious matter, my mistress," said Monet quickly, "I humbly request that you indulge me for a moment and you'll see what I mean."

"You better," said the Black Queen sternly, "In my experience, Emma Frost has always been a waste of time."

"I don't doubt that. But consider the following…you didn't tempt Kurt in the same way you tempted me or the others, did you? You did something different if I recall."

"Yes, I used his feelings for Wanda to get him to serve me. Big deal. I do that sort of thing in my sleep," said Selene, rolling her eyes.

"Well if I may be so bold to ask, is it possible to do something similar, but from the other way around?"

Selene looked at her strangely.

"What are you getting at, Monet?"

"Say instead of having someone fall in love with someone else, is it possible to use heartbreak to bend people to your will? Could such a vulnerability be exploited?"

Now Selene was intrigued. Maybe this was worth listening to after all.

"It's possible, but a lot more complicated," she answered, "It depends on the circumstances."

"Say the circumstances involve trying to win the affections of a man who has his heart set on another woman. And say that woman fails to sway him and is left broken and bitter. Would that qualify?"

"I would say so. What exactly does this have to do with Emma Frost anyways?"

Monet grinned ominously, a gesture she picked up from Selene herself. It was just the kind of opportunity she had been waiting for. This would surely prove to her mistress that she was the perfect champion of darkness.

"It appears she has recently gotten herself caught up in a love triangle between her, Scott, and Jean. She has this unyielding desire to make Scott the object of her affection. As strange as that may sound for her, I just witnessed first hand how determined she is. And I believe she is about to make herself very vulnerable because of it."

"Is she now?" said Selene, who was grinning as well, "How vulnerable?"

"Vulnerable enough to exploit. You did say you needed more psychic muscle to carry out your plans. And Emma's skill is well above mine and Psylocke's. I know she's a bitch and all, but if given the right incentive she might be able to help us."

Selene was officially surprised. Monet St. Croix had come a long way in the last nine months. She had gone from a grade grubbing perfectionist to a darkness loving perfectionist. She took to her plan the same way she took to all of her life challenges, pursuing them with perfection in mind. She was a classic overachiever and it was obvious she was trying to set herself apart with this little ploy.

She didn't necessarily need Emma's assistance, but it sure would help. But more than the power she brought to the table, she was intrigued by the notion of her being caught up in a love affair with a man she couldn't have. She never would have expected such from Emma, especially given her history. And if that history was any indication, then she was in for quite a debacle. Perhaps there was something she could exploit from it. If nothing else, it would be nice to finally bring her down as the bitch she was.

"Okay Monet, you have my attention. Tell me more…"

* * *

**Up next: Emma Frost makes her move while Logan deals with the aftermath of his decision.**

**AN: So what do you think so far of Part 3? Please let me know what you think. Send your comments to me via email or post them on the fanfiction website. I don't care which you use as long as you review. And if you want to see the uncut chapters of this story, you can see the adultfanficton version through a link on my profile. Thank you all for reading this story so far and I wish everybody the best.  
**


	4. Repayment and Rejection

**New Blood  
Chapter 4: Repayment and Rejection**

* * *

**7 Years Ago**

It was so beautiful. Every part of her was consumed with peace and bliss. Emma Frost never imagined she could feel something so amazing. She, the product of an unloving family, was finally getting a taste of what love felt like. It was so new and unfamiliar, yet it was so amazing on every level.

She closed her eyes and soaked it in as she felt the hot, sweaty body of her naked lover on top of her. She moaned and panted with him as he made love to her in the most meaningful way she ever felt. As an up and coming stripper working her way up in the Hellfire Club, she thought she knew pleasure and sex. But this was truly on another level. As the pleasure coursed through them she opened her eyes and gazed into the affectionate warmth of her lover, Shanobi Shaw.

"Emma…you're beautiful," said Shanobi as he lovingly caressed her face.

"I love you, Shanobi," she said in her emotional daze.

"I know. I love you too," he said with a smile.

"I…I never thought I could love someone like this. I didn't even think it was possible for me after your father took me in off the streets and…"

But Shanobi didn't let her go on. He just put his finger over her lips and held her closer.

"Shh…don't think of the past, my dear. Think only of the future. You've become so much stronger since you arrived."

"That's because you and Xavier have done such a great job of training me," she smiled coyly, "But I don't think this is part of the training."

"No…it isn't," said Shanobi softly, "This is something more. As allies we are strong enough to work our way through the Inner Circle. But as lovers, sharing a connection like the one we have…we can do so much more."

Emma Frost smiled warmly as she pulled him into another kiss. Their naked bodies remained entwined under the sheets of Shanobi's bed, their every gesture and touch laced with feeling. Emma honestly couldn't remember a time when she had ever been this happy. It was all centered on him, Shanobi Shaw. He was the son of the Black King, Sebastian Shaw, and a trusted member of the Inner Circle. He lived in his father's shadow, but he was every bit as determined and driven as she was to rise above it. He was just like her, trying to escape the holds of family. He understood her in a way nobody else did. She connected with him in a way she never connected with anybody. And it was a connection she never wanted to let go of.

"Tell me you love me again, Shanobi," Emma said as the kiss parted.

"I love you, Emma," he told her as he trailed his lips down her neck.

"Tell me you'll always be there," she said, moaning softly at his gestures, "Tell me we'll join the Inner Circle together and wield the power of the Hellfire Club together."

"I'll always be there for you. Together we shall rule in the Inner Circle. Together we will be strong."

"Promise me, my love."

"I promise, Emma. I promise you with all my heart."

Emma smiled in contentment as she and her lover continued their embrace. A promise from the heart of her lover was good enough for her. But little did she know, that one promise would come back to haunt her.

* * *

**Hellfire Manor Foyer**

Tonight was the big night. Emma's elaborate plan to repay Scott for saving her life was finally taking shape. Everything was set up. They each had the night off so they could take all the time they needed. Emma reserved an exclusive private suite for them to in an opulent hotel/resort downtown and she promised to have many surprises in store for him throughout the night. She didn't tell him just what those surprises entailed, but she promised him it would be something to remember. And given Emma's personality, Scott believed her.

At the moment, Scott was waiting for her down in the foyer near the front door. He was in his casual attire, which consisted of dark blue jeans and a black shirt. He wore his leather jacket as well, making sure he was ready to go as soon as Emma was ready. He checked his watch and saw it was almost time. As usual, Emma was taking extra time to ensure she looked presentable for their outing. It gave Scott more time to pace and contemplate what he was getting himself into.

'_Take it easy, Scott. It's no big deal. Just accept Emma's repayment and enjoy it. And if she tries anything, just get out fast. Don't push it. You made a promise to Jean. You damn well better keep it.'_

His thoughts raced as he kept thinking over the situation. At first he thought it was just an innocent night of wild thank-you sex from Emma, which he always enjoyed. But after Jean confronted him about her concerns it turned into something much more. He didn't want to believe that Emma was going to try to make a move on him or something. He made it clear to her over the years that he loved Jean and just thought of her as a friend. But Emma had always been unpredictable. Even though he knew her better than most people, he still didn't know what made her tick or why she was so bitter. If she really did have feelings for him, then that would complicate things. And he didn't want to hurt her.

"I see you haven't left yet," came a voice that stopped his train of thought.

Scott looked up the stairs to see Jean, who had been avoiding him since their conversation. She still looked anxious, but she did a good job of holding it back.

"Oh…hey Jean," said Scott, "Yeah, I'm just waiting on Emma. We're leaving as soon as she's ready."

"I understand."

There was an awkward silence between them. These were definitely awkward circumstances. Regular couples didn't have to deal with this sort of thing. Most regular couples weren't in a loving yet open relationship where sex with other people was not only normal, but expected. It had always been a challenge for them, but this thing with Emma was different.

"Are you mad at me?" Scott asked, finally breaking the silence.

"No, I'm not mad," she said, looking away from him, "I'm just…anxious."

"I know you are, but you don't have to be. I made you a promise, remember? And I intend to keep it."

"I know you do," she said, managing a half smile, "But wouldn't it just be easier to call it off? I mean, can't Emma thank you another way?"

"I don't think she knows any other way. You think I haven't brought it up?"

"Well then why can't you just refuse?" she asked intently, "It would save us all a lot of trouble."

"Maybe in the short term, it will. But it's a little more complicated now."

Scott walked up to Jean and placed both hands on her shoulders, putting on as serious an expression he could. He understood why she was so tense about this. He would be too if their roles were reversed. But that was he had to do this.

"Jean, I don't know how Emma feels about me. But if what you told me is true, then avoiding her isn't going to solve anything. I have to confront her about it. I have to let her know that while I do care for her, I'm still in love with you. I'm not going to let this drag out."

"But what if she doesn't take no for an answer?" asked Jean, "What if she won't accept it?"

"Then that's something she'll just have to deal with," said Scott strongly, "I don't want to hurt her, but I don't want to lead her on either. That's not fair to her and that's not fair to us. Just trust me, Jean. If push comes to shove, I will handle it."

It was hard to argue with him when he had that tone in his voice. Jean looked into his eyes and his mind and there was no doubt whatsoever. He really was resolute in this issue. If Emma made a move he would not hesitate to push away. It almost made her feel guilty because that was something she never did with Logan since they started getting close. Perhaps it was the stress of that affair that was spurring him to handle this differently. Maybe this was his way of showing her that he could do what she couldn't. Whatever the reason, there was no stopping him. He was going to spend this night with Emma. And whatever was going to happen, he was ready for it.

She wasn't sure what else to say. She said everything she needed to. She still had that look in her eyes. Then Scott caressed her chin and gazed at her lovingly.

"So…are we going to be okay?" he asked her.

"If you keep your promise…yes, we'll be fine," said Jean, managing a smile, "It's just going to be a long night waiting this out."

"There's always plenty of activities to keep you distracted around here. I'm sure you'll find something. You always do," he said, smiling back.

"We'll see. Just hurry back, okay?"

"I will."

They shared one last smile before Jean slipped away. There was still some unresolved tension, but that was to be expected. Even with all the amenities Hellfire Manor offered, none could make her forget about what was going on tonight with him and Emma. The sooner this night was over the sooner they could lay it to rest.

Not long after he and Jean parted, Emma appeared at the top of the staircase. And when Scott saw her he was quickly taken. She was wearing skin tight white leather pants that perfectly hugged her sexy legs. She also wore a fairly revealing halter top that just barely contained her large breasts. It was probably as casual as Emma Frost could get and yet it was still very alluring. He also noticed she had on her best makeup and perfume. He could smell it even from the bottom of the stairs and he had to admit, she was quite a sight.

"Ready, handsome?" she asked him in a playful tone.

"I'm ready," said Scott, swallowing his nervousness.

Emma gracefully descended the stairs and hooked arms with him. She affectionately leaned in and kissed his cheek, throwing in a few provocative gestures along the way. He got a nice look at her cleavage and an even nicer look at her alluring eyes. He was still determined to keep his promise to Jean, but it was going to be harder than he expected.

"I hope you had three squares and a good nights sleep because you're going to need it," she told him, "We are going to have so much fun tonight. I promise you it'll be an experience you'll never forget."

"I'll take your word for it," he said, managing a grin, "But seriously, Emma, all this just for helping you?"

"You saved my life, Scott. You deserve as much 'reward' as I can offer. And believe me, I can offer a lot."

To prove her point she leaned in and gave his ear a slight nibble, showing him just how much she wanted this. It felt good. Scott always liked how she could be so sexual. And as long as she kept it like this, then they weren't going to have a problem. But that all depended on where this night took them.

"Now what do you say we get out of here and get to our room?" she said seductively, "I've got a nice, spacious suite waiting for us and I plan on putting it to good use."

"Lead the way," said Scott with a smile.

Emma smiled back, slipping her hand into his back pocket and leading him out the front door where a limousine awaited them. As they left, Jean lingered from back in the hallway. Her anxious demeanor remained as she watched her lover leave hand-in-hand with a very determined looking, Emma Frost. Even if Scott had made her a promise and even if she did trust him, there was no telling what that woman would do. It almost made her sick to her stomach.

To make matters worse, Emma seemed to pick up on it. Just before they walked out the door, she turned back briefly and flashed a devious grin. She didn't look directly at Jean, but she definitely knew she was there. Her anxiety made her mental shields a little weaker so Emma must have picked up on her. She gave Scott's butt an extra squeeze just to taunt her. It was almost as if she was trying to tell her 'he's mine.' Jean clenched her fists at such a sight. She was tempted to just run up after her and beat her to a pulp for such a gesture. But it was too late now. They were already gone.

'_Damn you, Emma. You better not push it. Just because you have a night with him doesn't mean you can take him from me.'_

With her mood now shot, Jean stormed off in search of something to distract her. This was a huge test for both her and Scott. She had to sit back and wait while the love of her life was spending time with a woman trying to steal him from her. She was confident that Scott would keep his promise, but not nearly as confident in her ability to just wait while it happened. Hopefully, they could get through this. But it wasn't going to be easy.

'_Oh hell, it's going to be a looooong night.'_

_

* * *

_**Manor Bar**

After the incident with Emma Frost, Logan never needed to drink so much in his life. He was angry, bitter, tense, and conflicted. All these states of mind were something that could be mulled over with alcohol, but he was so messed up even the strongest liquor in the world couldn't have calmed him down. As soon as he sat down at the Hellfire Manor bar, he began slamming back as much as he could. If he could have he would drink himself into oblivion. Even if that didn't solve his problem, it would be better than this.

That Emma Frost was a real bitch. Even Summers didn't deserve someone like her. She dangled his hearts desire in front of him, tempting him and pushing him every step of the way. And when he finally rejected her offer to help him get with Jean, she crushed him in her own Emma Frost way and went on with her little agenda knowing full well it was going to hurt him one way or another. The thought of what she may do to Jeannie by pushing her and Scott away was troubling enough. But the thought of that woman getting what she wanted while he was left to wallow really got him mad.

"Fucking Emma fucking Frost!" she growled angrily as he gulped down an entire bottle of whiskey.

"You know, I would tell you to take it easy, but if you keep talking like that I might actually encourage you to drink more," said Raven Darkholme, who was sitting next to him.

"I can't help it, damn it! That woman just fucking pisses me off!"

"You're in good company. But trust me, all the drinking in the world isn't going to make her any less a bitch."

"Does it look like I care?"

Raven shook her head and sighed. She wasn't surprised that Emma was having this affect on him. But she was surprised he came to her of all people to vent. One minute she was having a nice meal with Rogue and the next minute Logan came barging in, saying he needed to vent with her. The look on his face indicated he was more angry than usual and rather than have him wallow on his own, she told Rogue she would catch up and went with him.

While she was glad that Logan turned to her, they hadn't been doing much talking since they sat down. Logan just told her in the fewest words possible that Emma confronted him about helping her break Scott and Jean up and he refused. She tempted him and tempted him, going on and on about how this may be his best chance to get what he wanted. He just had to trust her and be willing to hurt Jean, which he was not willing to do. In her mind he made the right decision. But it hadn't been an easy one.

"God damn it, why can't we get some decent whiskey in this joint?!" he exclaimed, throwing the bottle across the room.

"Logan, knock it off!" yelled Mystique, "You're being childish!"

"Oh don't start lecturing me! I ain't one of your kids!"

"Obviously not! Even they know not to throw a tantrum over trivial matters like this!"

"This ain't fucking trivial!" Logan exclaimed, "That woman spent the last nine months tempting me and tempting me, making me believe that she could give me Jean!"

"She could never give you that. You know she can't!" said Mystique strongly, "Emma will say anything if it helps her get what she wants!"

"I know! But I wanted to believe it, okay! And now she's gonna do it without me and Jeannie's gonna get hurt! How the fuck am I supposed to deal with that?!"

Logan was seething, his fists clenched in a rage. He couldn't remember being this angry in a long time. Not since his last fight with Sabretooth had he been so angry. He just stood there at the bar, looking at the broken bottle of whiskey across the room, breathing in sharp, rage-filled gasps.

Raven didn't say anything to him. She stood with her arms folded looking at him with that stern gaze of hers. It was kind of like the look she gave Kurt and Rogue when they did something she didn't approve of, only with Logan there was a little more sympathy. She had seen him through much of this affair and found herself caught up in it. There was no walking away from it now. Logan was in a seriously bad state and even though he made the right decision, he was struggling to deal with it.

For nearly two full minutes he was silent. He continued to fume, but Raven's continued gaze helped him slowly calm down. She wasn't criticizing him or trying to comfort him. She wasn't that kind of woman. She just kept staring at him, saying what she needed to say by saying nothing. It was better than any of the half-hearted advice anybody else would probably have given him. It gave him enough time and space to collect himself again.

"I need another drink," he muttered.

"I'll pour you some Jack Daniels," said Mystique with a half smirk.

Still muttering curses to himself, he sat back down at the bar and watched as Raven poured him another drink. She didn't give him the whole body. She probably figured he would just throw it across the room again. Once he had his drink he began gulping it down again, but not with nearly the same tenacity as before.

"Feeling better yet?" she asked him.

"Not really," said Logan in a low tone, "Sorry if I was takin' it out on you. I'm just pissed."

"I don't blame you. And I don't take it personally. I suppose I should be the one you vent on anyways. I was the one who kept warning you about Emma all this time."

"Yeah, and I guess I ought to thank you for that now," he said, raising his glass towards her, "You were right about her. She really is a bitch."

"Nobody will contest that," said the shape shifter, "But if it makes you feel any better, she probably would have screwed you over anyways. And not in a good way."

"Wouldn't surprise me," muttered Logan, "But still, I really did want to believe her. These past nine months I've been lookin' at Jeannie, wondering what it would be like to really be with her. I just liked knowing it was a possibility, you know? Now it's impossible."

"Why is it impossible? It's not like you need Emma to be with her."

"Maybe so, but when I rejected her little offer something else dawned on me. All this time I knew Emma was planning this. I knew what she was up to and what she wanted to do. And for nine months I didn't tell Jeannie. I didn't even drop her a hint."

"Why does that matter? It's not like it's your duty to tell her everything," said Raven.

"It is when I know it might hurt her. And you were the one that once told me if you really do love someone, you do everything in your power to make sure they don't get hurt."

Raven fell silent. She remembered vividly that conversation they had at Club Hellfire that night. It was the first real conversation they ever had together and it was the beginning of their friendship. That one bit of advice she barely gave much thought to seemed more important now than ever. And as Logan looked down at his drink, his spirits nearing rock bottom, it held true even after everything that happened.

"Say Emma succeeds. Say she does break her and Scott up. I know as well as you that it's gonna leave her heartbroken. She'll be hurting, lost, and in pain. And she'll hate my guts forever because of it."

"Why would she hate you?" she asked.

"Because I never did anything to warn her," he said distantly, "I didn't tell her about that night I spied on them with Emma. I didn't tell her about the offer Emma made me. I could have warned her and she could have done something about it. Can you imagine her ever forgiving me for that?"

Mystique thought about that for a moment. When he put it like that, it was hard to argue. If she were in Jean's shoes and he never told her about something like this, she would have been pissed to say the least. It would be pretty hard to ever forgive something like that.

"Why didn't you tell her earlier anyways?"

"It's fucking stupid," he muttered, "The way I saw it, so long as I didn't tell her I still had a chance. If I did, Emma wouldn't get her chance either and Scott and Jeannie would never break up. And I just couldn't stand that."

"That's not a very good reason," scoffed Mystique.

"You think I don't know that?" he said, taking a gulp of his drink, "But sometimes you feel something so strong, you don't even want to let the possibilities go away. So long as I didn't decide, the possibility was still there."

Logan slammed his glass down and pushed it away. He then got up from the bar and turned away, clenching his fists in frustration.

"I know it was damn selfish of me. I don't deserve Jeannie's love. Hell, I barely deserve to be in the same room with her for keeping this secret. But it's so damn hard letting it go!"

He was getting worked up again, so Raven didn't say anything. She just walked up to him, put his hand on his shoulders, and looked at him strongly. She saw a conflicted man in him, but one who still made the right decision. That was something she always admired about him and something she always lacked. He didn't deserve to feel this way.

"Logan…I'm not going to tell you I understand because I don't. I'm not even going to tell you I'm sorry because I know that won't do you any good. But there's one thing you should know…one thing that you should take comfort in regardless of what happens. You did the right thing. You didn't help Emma hurt her."

"But I still hurt her."

"Not as much as you could have," she told him as she tenderly ran her hand down his burley face, "You care about her enough to make the hardest decision. That says something about you."

"Yeah, it says I'm an idiot."

"An idiot who still did the right thing," she said with a reassuring smile, "Take it from me, doing it the wrong way only makes things much worse. You're saving yourself a lot more pain by getting this out of the way now."

That helped him calm down a little. He didn't smile or anything, but she could feel his tension ease somewhat. Looking into her eyes, she could see that he trusted her. He wouldn't be going off like this if he didn't. She was definitely not the best person to help handle this situation, but he looked at her as though she had all the answers.

"So what do I do now?" he asked her, "Do I walk up to her and tell her or should I just sit back and wait for the shit to hit the fan?"

Mystique thought about it for a moment. This was not something she was very good at judging. Her kids could attest to that. But this man needed an answer and he didn't deserve to suffer like this. She had to at least try to help him.

"I can't tell you what to do, Logan. I have no authority in that respect," she admitted, "It's up to you how you handle this, but the best advice I can offer is this…whatever choice you have, choose the hardest. Because more often then not that's the right one."

Logan sighed as he digested that for a moment. His gaze remained distant, but he took comfort in Mystique's affectionate touching. She wasn't trying to be comforting, but she was. Just being close to her like this did more to help with the anger and bitterness than any stiff drink ever could. He found himself looking her in the eye again, seeing in them a strange kind of sincerity from a woman who built her reputation on deception. But she was one of the few people in this crazy place he could relate to. And her advice gave him plenty to think about.

The easiest way to deal with this was to do nothing and let the chips fall where they may. But even if Emma failed to break Scott and Jeannie up, it still wasn't fair to Jeannie. She placed her trust in him the day she first reached out to him. And his feelings, while conflicted, were still strong for her. But the fact he actually contemplated taking up Emma on her offer for nine months was grim confirmation that he didn't deserve the love of this woman. Even if she forgave him, it was still telling. Perhaps that was a sign of something more. Whatever it was, the hardest choice was to confront it. And if he was to take Raven's advice, that was what he would have to do.

"You're right," he told her, "I have to take care of this."

He then pulled away from Raven, who was a little reluctant to let him go. He then put away the bottles of liquor and walked towards the door.

"You're…not even going to finish your drink?" said Raven.

"No time for boozin'," said Logan with a new resolve in his tone, "Besides, I'm gonna have to be sober if I'm gonna talk to Jeannie. Wish me luck."

"Right…good luck," said Mystique distantly.

She turned away, looking to get a drink for herself. After a moment like this she needed one. But before she got far, Logan turned back towards her and said one last thing.

"Oh, and Misty?"

"What Logan, do you need more advice?" she said in a bemused tone.

"Thanks," was all he said.

Logan slipped away after that, leaving Mystique in a dazed state. Yet she found herself smiling. Being around Logan these last nine months had been an experience to say the least. He was a lot more exciting to be around than the other men in the Inner Circle. He just couldn't stop himself from getting caught up in these relationship dramas. It was kind of ironic for a man who was such a loner, a drinker, and a womanizer. He was a man of contrasts yet he could hold it together. But that's what she liked about him. And over time she came to really admire those qualities about him. Sometimes she wondered if she admired him a little too much.

'_Damn I better not be falling in love with the guy. He's got enough problems with love as it is and so do I. Now I need a drink. Something tells me its going to be a long night.'_

_

* * *

_**Highland Luxury Suites**

Highland Luxury Suites was one of the most exclusive and expensive resorts in the world. It wasn't just some fancy hotel for people with money to spend the night. It was a place that catered exclusively to those looking to set up extra private affairs with extra special people. Celebrities, CEOs, and world leaders came here to entertain guests, be pampered, or spend the night with a special someone. It was not cheap to say the least. But all that extra money was put to good use. Emma Frost spared no expense. She reserved for her and Scott the special private villa near the top floor. It was an extra opulent suite made specifically for couples. She also paid extra to set up a few surprises. If everything went as planned, Scott Summers would be hers by the end of the night.

For much of the thirty minute drive to the resort, Emma sat curled up next to Scott in the back seat. She had her legs draped over his lap and her arms around his shoulders as she playfully teased Scott with a mix of sensual kissing and sultry gestures. He responded nicely to them, smiling at her and moaning in contentment when she did something he really liked. He seemed to be enjoying himself thus far, but this was just the beginning.

"Mmm…you're awfully playful tonight, Emma," said Scott as she playfully traced her fingers over his chest.

"I can't help it! I'm just so excited to pay you back for saving my life," she replied in a deep, sultry tone, "I can't wait until I show you the room I got for us. It's nice and private with all the best amenities Hellfire's deep pockets can afford. It's also sound proofed so we can make all the noise we want!"

"I like the sound of that. Just what kind of amenities can I expect?"

"Oh just you wait," said Emma coyly, "I paid extra for a few 'surprises.' But you'll just have to wait like a good boy."

"Yes ma'am," grinned Scott.

She pulled him into another sensual kiss. Scott slipped his arms around her waist, enjoying her womanly grasp. So far everything was going as he expected. Emma wasn't making a move on him yet. From the looks of it she was just being her normal, sexy self. Her every gesture was very sensual. It was like she was trying to make little fantasy world for them. But he couldn't get too sucked into it. He had to be careful if he was to keep his promise to Jean.

But there was one thing they both seemed to share in this moment. They wanted each other bad. Before Emma left she made sure she took some of the Hellfire Club's best aphrodisiacs, courtesy of Moria. She had a feeling she was going to need them tonight, not just for the sex but for everything else she had planned.

They continued making out in the backseat as the limousine neared the resort. It got to a point where Emma crawled on top of Scott's lap and started grinding her pelvis against his, which helped to further build his arousal. Scott moaned contently at her gestures, keeping his hands her hips and letting her set the tone. Emma had always been a very sensual woman, but there was something deeper in her gestures tonight. It was almost as if she was making an extra effort to really entice him. He wanted to believe that it was just her doing more for saving her life, but there may be more to it. He couldn't be sure, so he just went along with it.

Scott and Emma kept dry humping up until the limousine pulled up to the resort. Since they were high paying clients, their limousine got to pull into the exclusive VIP entrance located on the west side of the building. It required security clearances and a generous fee, but it was worth it. To Emma it meant less time waiting in line and more time alone in her suite with Scott.

When the limo finally stopped, their heated make-out session abruptly stopped. It definitely got their passions going, but it was meant to be just a prelude.

"I'm going to make you feel so good tonight, Scott Summers," Emma said in a sultry tone, "I promise you this will be the best night of your life."

"That's a pretty bold promise to make Emma," said Scott as he looked into her lustful gaze.

"I never make a promise I can't keep darling. Now what do you say we take this to our room? We're going to need plenty of privacy for the activities I have planned."

"I'll bet," grinned Scott, "Did you bring any bags?"

"Oh don't you worry about that," she assured him, "Why pack clothes when we're not going to be wearing them all that much anyways?"

Scott grinned at her sexy spirit. Emma loved to talk dirty and tonight she had that extra serious look in her eye. He could only imagine what she had planned for him. He would still have to be careful, but there was no turning back now.

The driver, who was a masked Hellfire guard, opened the limousine door for them and Emma took Scott's hand and led him out. Once out, a couple of neatly dressed resort workers in suits and a bow ties bowed respectfully and directed them into the opulent resort.

"Welcome, Miss Frost," said one of the workers, "Your suite is ready and all the arrangements you requested are complete."

"Good, then see to it that the entire floor is locked down once we're inside. I want absolutely no interruptions once we're inside. Is that clear?"

"Yes, ma'am. We will take care of it."

"See that you do," said Emma, who slipped him a hundred dollar tip just to be sure.

They then followed one of the workers towards the private elevator which would lead up to their suite. Emma clung to Scott's arm, affectionately leaning into his manly warmth as they neared their final destination. He smiled at her as he slipped his arm around her waist and followed her lead. Emma smiled back, trying to hide her anticipation for what she was about to do. She had been waiting a long time to do something like this. She thought she would never have a chance to get this close to someone again. Tonight years of self-loathing and bitterness would end. She would have the man she wanted. He would love her and she would love him. It would be so perfect. It would be everything she ever wanted, but had always been denied. And this time, nothing was going to take it away from her. She would not endure the same heartache twice. She would make sure of it.

* * *

**Hong Kong – Hellfire/X-Industrial Hub**

It was supposed to be a sunny, average day in the busy streets of Hong Kong. It was the middle of the week so business was in full swing. Workers, businesses, and authorizes of all kinds were set to go about their lives as always. But in one part of the city, this seemingly ordinary day was anything but ordinary.

BOOM!

"Everybody fall back! We've got more incoming rounds!"

"Again?!" exclaimed Rogue, "Ah thought we took them out!"

"Obviously we didn't! Now fall back!"

Explosions and the panicked screams of various workers and pedestrians echoed through one of the busiest and most productive hubs the Hellfire Club had in Asia. James Poundstar was the one giving the commands, still partially blinded as a result of the attack on Xavier last week. But his commands didn't seem to be doing a lot of good as the whole area was surrounded by the masked operatives of the Hand.

"How the hell did they get past the checkpoint?" exclaimed Piotr, "And where the hell are they getting these weapons?!"

"Stop asking questions and take them out already!" ordered Warpath, "Disarm them before they can do any more damage!"

Piotr groaned as he sprung into action. He grabbed a nearby forklift and with his superhuman strength, heaved it up into the fourth floor of one of the adjacent office buildings where the attack had originated. The highly trained, highly paid Hellfire guard who were supposed to protect this hub was scrambling to re-organize themselves. Many had already been cut down in the initial attack. James tried to bark out orders to get them to help, but he was too busy attacking the armored cars the Hand brought in. It was times like this he appreciated Scott's leadership skills.

They weren't supposed to be here on a mission to defend this hub. They were just here to meet with some Hellfire officials in regards to dealing with the Hand. But just as they were about to begin the meeting, everything went to Hell. The Hand attacked them in a bold, ambitious assault on one of their most important Asian hubs. This hub, which was comprised of an opulent waterfront office building on the south side of the island, was once owned by Sebastian Shaw. It was important because it acted as the eyes and ears of the Hellfire Club's extensive Asian operations. It also acted as a mini-port for shipping materials, which was done through a series of small private docks. Spies and mercenaries often reported here and there was a vast array of electronic and physical records kept here in what was supposed to be one of the most secure areas in Asia. But somehow the Hand managed to set themselves up in an adjacent office building, which was supposed to be under their control. And somehow they also managed to hit their security system. Just before the attack, there was a mysterious short out in the main alarms. So when they launched an initial mortar and rocket attack, they were caught completely off guard.

Naturally, they were responsible for taking action. Warpath, Piotr, Rogue, Bobby, Roberto, and Kitty were the ones present. Warren was also with them, but he was caught up in another meeting as the attack hit and just got around to helping them. While Warpath, Piotr, and Rogue were used to these sorts of situations, they were unexpected challenges for Bobby, Roberto, and Kitty. Over the past nine months, they had limited mission experience in circumstances such as these. Much of their time had been spent conditioning them to be the tough, Hellfire operatives they wanted them to be and they had only just begun to do more dangerous assignments. But their trial by fire was coming sooner rather than later.

It was not an easy attack to defend. The Hand knew where and how to hit them hard. The initial attack had been rocket blasts on the ports, which set fire to the docks and disable the vital machinery they used to unload their cargo. Then they hit a series of guarded sentries around the perimeter of the building that controlled the alarms and security sensors. And on top of it all, they somehow managed to damage their power supply. Half the building was dark and nearly all their main security features were inactive, leaving only their guards and the pawns to defend against the Hand. And with their defenses weakened, they hit them hard. With sentries in the building across the street, the Hand sent two platoons of masked foot soldiers armed with swords and guns to attack. They were indiscriminant in who and what they attacked. Anything they could get close to was a target, including the pawns.

Another series of rockets hit the midsection of the building, creating gaping holes and sending showers of glass down upon them. Roberto and Kitty had to scramble to get out of the way, but they couldn't get far without encountering the Hand's foot soldiers.

"Whoa!" exclaimed Kitty as a Hand operative tried to stab her, only to have it pass right through her, "Where do these guys keep coming from?"

"Hang on, Kitty, Ah got your back!" said Rogue as she flew in from above.

Rogue came in and punched Kitty's attacker so hard she almost knocked a hole in him. This allowed Kitty to gather herself just in time for an attack by two more assassins.

"Thanks, Rogue! That's three I owe you!" said Kitty as she phased through several bullets that came her way.

"Repay meh later, sugah! Just hang in there a bit longer! Ah'm goin' after the rockets!"

"You're going to need some cover," said Warpath, who just slit the throats of two more attackers, "Bobby, fire an ice blast at the windows!"

But Bobby was in no position to comply with his order. He was trying to fight off four attackers who were hitting him hitting him with shot guns and weighted balls attached to chains, which cracked the ice shield he used to guard his body.

"I'm a little busy here, Warpath!" grunted Bobby as he took another one to the arms, "Plus, I think they're gunning for me anyways!"

"Oh don't be a baby!" scoffed Roberto, who came in and crushed three of Bobby's attackers by slamming a nearby fork lift against them, "Just make an ice shield or something and hit them already!"

"If it's so easy why don't you do it, Roberto?!" exclaimed Bobby as he froze his last attacker in a block of ice.

"I would, but I don't have ice powers! And besides, I'm having too much fun on my end!"

"I seriously question your definition of 'fun,' Roberto," grunted Piotr, who came in to assist Kitty.

"Hey, it still beats sitting through another boring meeting!"

Roberto seemed to be the only one enthusiastic about the attack. He didn't seem to care that these Hand thugs, who were part of an organization that was supposed to be in disarray, were striking at a very important center of their operations. All he cared about was burning and maiming everyone that got in his way. It was fun for him, but hopefully it wasn't too much fun because they couldn't afford to have this go on much longer.

Another rocket shot out from the building and hit just at the base of the structure. It literally flew in through the front door and exploded in the middle of the lobby, killing a number of pedestrians and Hellfire officials who had taken cover inside. That was the last straw for the pawns. If they hit the base like that again, they could potentially bring the whole building down and they couldn't have that.

"Damn it! Get to those rockets already!" exclaimed Warpath as he charged into another wave of attackers.

"Ah'm on it!" said Rogue, "Bobby, if you can cover me that would be real nice!"

"I'll try!" said the young mutant, who was looking increasingly in over his head.

Taking to the air, Rogue flew towards the area in the building across the street where the rockets were coming from. Bobby tried to hit them from afar to keep them from aiming at her, but he was too far away and his aim was off. Several Hand operatives saw her coming and turned their rockets towards her. Without hesitation, they began firing. When Rogue saw them coming at her she tried to evade them. She managed to get by one, but the other one hit her in the thigh and exploded. It wasn't enough to bruise her invulnerable form, but it did blow some of her uniform off and really stung.

"Augh! Alright that's it!" she grunted, "Ah've had enough of this!"

She flew in faster with rage in her eyes, but the masked Hand assassins didn't even hesitate. They turned all their rocket launchers towards her again. But before they could all fire, two of them were stunned when an ice blast from Bobby created a thick ice sheet just over the window. From down below, Bobby had come in on an ice slide with Kitty hanging onto him, phasing him through a hail of bullets and throwing daggers.

"That should slow them down!" grinned Bobby, "Thanks for the assist, Kitty!"

"No problem! Now just get us into cover! I can't keep phasing forever!" she said, grunting at the strain.

"Sure thing! I'm sure Rogue can take it from here!"

With a couple of the sentries frozen and stunned, Rogue was able to move in on the remaining two. They tried to shoot her again, but this time she was able to avoid them. She then burst through the hole they made in the window and tore into the armed men without mercy. They tried to defend themselves in vain, using guns and katanas as their defense. But they didn't even scratch the invulnerable Rogue. She took the blades from two of the men, snapped them like twigs, and jammed the shards into the heads of the two nearest attackers. Then she grabbed the other two, who were trying to take cover, and literally mashed their heads together. Their skulls shattered and their brains splattered onto the floor, leaving Rogue's hands bloody, but her anger unquenched.

"Now for the rest of y'all!" she said menacingly.

Using her flight and strength, she rammed through nearby walls and barriers to take out the remaining rocket sentries. With the same ruthless efficiency, she killed them all with her bear hands. She snapped their necks, broke their spines, and impaled them with whatever weapon they tried to attack her with. By the time she got to the ones Bobby froze, she was hardly breaking a sweat. But to the credit of these ninja assassins, they never cowered or begged for mercy. They kept trying to attack, knowing full well they had no chance. Their determination was admirable, but not admirable enough for Rogue to let them live.

One last assassin tried to hit her with another rocket, but she grabbed the end of the launch tube and crushed it like tin foil. Then she grabbed the man by the neck and held him up out the window.

"That's quite enough of that," she said, "You folks have caused enough trouble."

She then let the man go, watching as he fell to the street below and died on impact. Sighing in relief, the rocket attacks had ceased. But in the distance she could see the damage they had done. It was pretty disconcerting given how small and concentrated this attack was. But it wasn't over yet.

"When does it end?" Rogue wondered as she flew back out to assist her fellow pawns.

Now that the rockets attacks had ceased, the pawns began gaining the upper hand. Warpath and Piotr went on a tear, taking out the most heavily armed assassins who were armed with high powered rifles and rocket propelled grenades. They made short work of them, snapping their necks and crushing them before they could do any more damage. Kitty and Bobby remained a tandem with Bobby freezing a number of attackers into blocks of ice while Kitty kept bullets from hitting him. They were still vulnerable though. When a mortar from above hit near them, it stunned Kitty and caused her to stop phasing. That's when Bobby took a bullet in his ice armor and Kitty took some shrapnel to her leg.

"Augh! Damn mortars!" grunted Bobby, clutching his side, "Is anyone going to take them down?!"

"Hold on," said Kitty, rubbing her leg as she looked up, "It looks like we're almost clear."

Up in the sky, Warren had finally rejoined the action. He was hovering over the building where the rocket attacks had been coming from, zeroing in on the Hand assassins who had set up mortar tubes on the roof. There were about five tubes with teams of three Hand technicians to each. They were all armed so he had to be careful. But with the rockets now no longer a factor, he could move in.

"Time to end this," said the winged mutant.

Warren swooped in, carrying with him a custom Hellfire energy rifle made specifically for him. Since he was more businessman than fighter, he rarely used it. But he always kept it handy just in case. And now that he could fly in closer, he could get a clear shot at the Hand's assassins.

With one daring pass he flew down in an arc at high speeds, taking aim with his rifle. The Hand assassins saw him coming and immediately turned their guns on him. But with the sun in their eyes they couldn't hit him so Warren was able to get off six good shots. The first missed, but the second hit a pile of unused mortars right next to them and they exploded in an instant, taking the three Hand henchmen with them. The next four shots focused in on another sentry. This time he hit two of the technicians, killing them with a single lethal shot. The other one backed away towards the edge, still trying to shoot him. One bullet did graze his wing and it hurt, but it didn't make Warren stop. He just flew faster and knocked the man off so he fell to his death.

"Damn, that hurts! These bastards so have to die!" he grunted.

Not taking any more chances he flew in closer to the other side of the roof, firing his rifle in an endless hail of high energy rounds. This time he aimed for the technicians, picking them off one by one while they fired wildly at him while trying to keep with the attack. Warren kept moving so they couldn't hit him again. Two more bullets grazed his wings, but he kept shooting until every last Hand assassin was dead. Then for good measure, he shot the mortar tubes so that they were rendered useless. When the shooting stopped, he took a moment to gather himself on the roof and tend to his wings.

"The things I put up with for Mistress Selene," he mused, "Hopefully I won't have to endure much more of this."

With the mortars and rockets now gone, the Hellfire pawns were free to clean up the rest of the Hand's foot-soldiers. Without cover from their sentries, they turned their attention towards causing as much damage to the surrounding structures as possible. They didn't even try to attack the pawns. They just wanted to damage the building. It once again showed that this was a coordinated effort with defined goals, not some futile attempt at attacking them. It was disturbing, but the pawns didn't have time to muse over it.

"I am so sick of these guys!" said Kitty as she phased her arm into two attackers and stopped their hearts with some creative use of her powers.

"You and me both!" grunted Bobby as he froze one last batch of attackers, "I mean seriously, I thought you said we killed their leader?"

"We did!" grunted Warpath as he kicked over a pile of bodies and stabled one more attacker, "Guess that wasn't enough!"

"But how is that possible?" said Piotr, "Without their leader they shouldn't be able to coordinate like this?"

"Maybe they just that well-organized," shrugged Roberto, who was still busy burning any attacker he came across, "I don't care as long as they keep making it this easy for us."

"Easy?! You consider these attacks easy?!" exclaimed Kitty.

"Oh please, it's not like they're launching nuclear bombs at us," scoffed Roberto as he charred a couple of already dead bodies just for good measure.

"At the rate they're going they just might resort to that," said Bobby, still clutching his side where the bullet grazed him.

"Not in this lifetime they won't," said Warren, who had flown down from the roof, "The Hand is good, but they're not that stupid."

"What makes you so sure about that?" said Kitty skeptically.

"Call it a gut feeling," said Warren with a confident grin.

Rogue and Warren did one last sweep of the area, taking out anybody else who was trying to do damage to their facility. They caught two lone Hand assassins trying to set a bomb off inside the building, but Warren managed to shoot one and Rogue took care of the other. Warpath and the others finished off the rest, not bothering to leave anybody else alive since they knew that nobody from the Hand would ever talk.

When it was finally over with, the young pawns gathered near the entrance to the building. Kitty was limping because of the shrapnel to her thigh and Bobby was clutching his side, barely able to stay upright. Warpath, Rogue, and Piotr were unharmed except for some irreparable harm to the business suits they wore. Warren had some damage to his wings and Roberto just had a few cuts and scrapes along the way. But he didn't seem to care.

"Is that all of them?" asked Warpath.

"Ah think so," said Rogue, "Ah didn't see anybody on mah sweep."

"Me neither," said Warren, "I think it's safe to say this attack is over."

"Too bad," sighed Roberto, "I was just starting to have fun."

"Give it rest, Roberto," groaned Kitty, "Damn mortars."

Kitty winced in pain, but Piotr was there to support her.

"Are you okay, Katya?" he asked with a touch of concern.

"I'll be fine," she said, casting him a reassuring smile, "But you may have to play doctor with me again."

"I don't mind," he said, smiling back.

"Guys, now isn't the place or time for that," said Warpath as he looked down at a dead body, "This is getting disturbing. Ever since the hit on Xavier failed, the Hand has been hitting us in every way possible. And it's not just the usual vengeance hit. They're striking hard at our major hubs."

"Big deal. We keep fighting them off, don't we?" shrugged Roberto.

"Yes, but just look at the damage they're doing!" said Warpath, gesturing to the charred ground around them.

When they all looked around they saw what he meant. The once proud building that was so vital to their Asian operations was heavily scarred and in need of a new windows. There were bodies everywhere, the security system had been overwhelmed, and the private port in the back was heavily damaged. They could still see some smoke coming from the building, but the sprinklers took care of the fires for the most part. It was all physical damage and it could be repaired. As for the death and destruction, Xavier was going to have to pull some major strings with his media and military connections to cover it up. That too was going to be costly. But more than the cost, these attacks struck at the heart of their operations and would surely cause disruptions.

"And I have a feeling this is just the beginning," said Warpath, "Something really serious is going down. I think this may be about more than us killing their leader."

"Well we were moving in on their territory. What do you expect?" said Warren.

"Ah don't know. Ah think ya have a point, James," said Rogue, "Mah mama always told me if something defies your expectations then there's something you ain't getting."

"So then what aren't we getting?" wondered Piotr, "What is going on here to cause these relentless attacks?"

A heavy silence fell over the pawns. Nobody knew so no body could say anything. Warren and Roberto exchanged glances and Warren could tell Roberto was about to make a comment. But he shot him a cold glare, helping to keep him silent. They didn't know any more than the others, but they knew enough. And because of that they had to keep silent. It was their sacred duty to Mistress Selene.

For the others, however, it was a bitter predicament. They were getting hit and while the Hand hadn't made too big a dent in Hellfire's power yet, it was bound to change if this kept up. They couldn't have that. They had to stop it at its source. But they just didn't know where it was coming from, leaving them frustrated and uncertain.

"I don't know, Piotr," said Warpath, "But I'm not looking forward to finding out."

* * *

**Highland Luxury Suites**

Emma was all over Scott the whole way up to the room. She never let him escape her grasp, keeping her arms secure around him while she led him up to where they would be spending the night. Along the way she gave him more affectionate gestures, kissing his neck and slipping her hand into his back pocket. Scott smiled and laughed the whole time, amazed at how affectionate she was being. But he maintained his poise as always.

By the time they reached the room, they were both very much aroused. Emma's constant touching and teasing stirred Scott's libido and the closer they got, the more she seemed to want him. Emma hadn't wanted a man so bad in a long time. It felt good to be so filled with passion and anticipation. But this was just a prelude. As soon as she got the key from the hotel worker, she shooed him away so they would have complete privacy. She tipped him nicely just to make sure that nobody would disturb them.

"Get ready to enter heaven, Scott," she said boldly, "Your reward awaits."

She then opened the door and led Scott inside. When he saw what their room was like, he was impressed. Even by Hellfire standards, this place was fancy. It had two gas fireplaces, wall-to-wall Persian carpeting, opulent chairs and sofa's with fine red velvet covers, a sixty inch plasma screen TV, a fully stocked kitchen with various complimentary gourmet foods, a balcony with a great view over the city, and an indoor pool with a hot tub on the side. It also had elaborate art displays that all had a sexual or romantic theme. It was like a honeymoon suite for high rollers. Everything about it was wrought with sexuality. He could see why Emma picked a place like this.

"This is very nice," said Scott as he admired the setting, "You reserved this just so we could spend the night together?"

"You deserve it darling," said Emma as she locked the door securely and slipped her arms around him from behind, "But you can admire it later. Let me show you the bedroom. I've prepared a little something special."

Scott smiled as he followed her through the opulent suite into the bedroom. When she opened the door his eyes widened. Emma really had gone to great lengths. The entire room was lined with fancy light fixtures that were all dimmed to make for an extra sensual ambience. There was already a fire roaring in the fireplace, bathing the room in a distinct fiery flicker. But was stood out most of all were the rose petals. All over the floor and bed, pink and red petals lined the room. He could also pick up the distinct scent of incense. It was quite a sight. It was classic romance, something he never really associated with Emma Frost. But she smiled proudly to indicate that it was true. She did set this up for him. And this was just a prelude.

"Wow…if I didn't know any better, I would say you're trying to be romantic, Emma," said Scott teasingly.

"Say what you want, darling. But this is just to set the mood," she said sensually.

"You mean this isn't the surprise you were referring to?"

"Hardly," she scoffed, "That is still to come. But that's for later. For now, let's just get comfortable."

She closed the bedroom door behind her and pulled him into another passionate kiss. This time she was more tender, really putting some feeling into it as she stood in Scott's embrace. Scott, having been lured into this very sensual world, kissed back with equal passion. He wanted this woman bad and she wanted him. But he could feel she wanted him more. She was so excited he thought she was just going to lead him to the bed and do him on the spot. But then she stopped abruptly and gazed affectionately into his eyes.

"Why don't you get out of those uncomfortable clothes while I slip into something a little more 'appropriate' for this?" she told him, "I bought a special little number just for you."

"Can't wait to see it," he grinned, "Should I get completely naked or just down to my underwear?"

"Doesn't matter to me," she shrugged, "It's all coming off anyways. Just be ready when I come out."

Emma reluctantly slipped out of his embrace and into the bathroom, where her special outfit had already been laid out. She closed the door so Scott couldn't see her, leaving him to get undressed on his own. As she suggested he slipped out of his shirt and pants, but he left his underwear on. He then set his clothes aside and sat on the edge of the bed where he waited patiently. He was excited and very much aroused. His black boxers were already beginning to feel confined. But as he contemplated what Emma had in store for him, he reminded himself of what was at stake.

He wasn't so naïve to think that Emma couldn't be up to something. He wanted to believe Emma wouldn't try something to betray the trust he put in her. He made it clear to her over the years that he was in love with Jean and she didn't dwell on it for the most part. But that didn't mean it didn't affect her. Emma was a hard person to read. He was one of the few men she let get real close. She told him things she hadn't told anybody and he did the same. He considered her a close friend and a good lover, but that was it. If she did try and make a move on him, he had to let her know that he didn't feel that way about her. Even if she could deliver on her promises of the best sex ever, he had to keep things in perspective. But chances were Emma wasn't going to make it easy.

"Oh Scott, darling…I'm ready!" came a seductive voice from the bathroom.

Scott turned towards the bathroom door and when he saw Emma step out his jaw hit the floor. Emma had worn some provocative things in the past, but this topped them all. She was wearing a very elegant looking white camisole that was extra short, barely running just below her large breasts. It was clear around the upper part of her cleavage, just barely covering her nipples. Along with it she wore a nice matching thong. It had elaborate stitching and embroideries, forming an elegant V-shape just over her hips and naval. She was truly a sight to behold.

"Wow…" said Scott, his face lighting up at the sight.

"Like what you see?" she said, turning around to give him a nice view of her butt, "I know it's not the bawdiest outfit I've worn, but I had it custom made just for this occasion."

"It looks beautiful on you," said Scott as he rose up from the bed.

"It looks even more beautiful off me. Care to see for yourself?"

With a seductive grin Emma sexually sauntered over towards Scott. When she got close he got a good whiff of the expensive perfume and make-up she put on. She made sure she put on extra so he would want to get as close to her as possible. Once he was within reach, she sensually snaked her arms around his exposed upper body and pulled him into another deep kiss.

For a moment they just stood in the soft glow of the dimmed lights and the fire, enjoying the warm feel of their exposed flesh. Emma sensually traced her fingers over his manly upper body while Scott ran his hands up her voluptuous curves. They were slow and sensuous, take great care to make each touch count. The arousal was building fast. Slowly the passion grew and they started making their way towards the bed.

Scott followed Emma's lead, laying down on his back and clearing away some of the rose petals in the process. Emma seductively crawled on top of him, smiling affectionately as she ran her finger up the middle of his chest and over his handsome face. She then leaned over, giving him a great view of her ample cleavage and kissed him again. As she did this she delivered a sultry telepathic message.

'_I am going to make you feel so good tonight, Scott. You deserve it, not just for saving my life, but for everything you've done for me. Your reward begins here and I assure you it will be something we'll both treasure for a long time.'_

Emma broke the kiss and rose up, still firmly straddling his waist. She then sensually removed her camisole, grasping both sides and sliding it off to reveal her ample breasts. She swayed her body as she did so, further temping Scott. Once it was off Scott smiled at the sight of her topless form. Emma smiled back seductively, taking both his hands and putting them on her breasts. This evoked a soft gasp from the blonde telepath, further deepening her arousal.

After letting him enjoy her breasts for a bit, Emma went back to work and pulled him into another kiss. Then she began sensually working her way down his body. Sensing what she was about to do, Scott leaned back on his arms and watched as she tenderly trailed her lips down his chest and well-sculpted abs. She slithered down his manly form until she was at his boxers, which by now were very confining. Smiling hungrily at the sight, Emma grabbed the sides of his boxers and tugged them off. Upon tossing them aside and began orally teasing him.

"Ohhhhhh Emma…" Scott moaned in contentment.

"Mmm…you like that, darling?" she purred softly.

She thoroughly pleasured him for a good five minutes. As she did this her own arousal intensified as well. But her focus remained on Scott. At one point she sensed he was close to climaxing, but she abruptly stopped before he could get to that point. She wanted him to save that for the real fun.

"Enjoying your reward so far, darling?" she said as she rose up again.

"Oh yeah," said Scott, still reeling from her teasing.

"Good, but that was just an appetizer. Now it's time for the main course."

A sensual look still dominated her expression as she rose up to her knees and prepared to remove her thong. She went slowly like she did earlier, really enticing Scott by sensually sliding the revealing garment down her shapely thighs. Once it was off she twirled it on her finger a bit and tossed it across the room. For a moment she let Scott admire her nude form. Then she eagerly crawled back on top of him, letting her naked body sink into his.

They came together in another heated kiss. And for a few minutes they intently made out, touching and exploring their naked bodies. After some thorough kising, she manuvered her way down onto him. Then with passioante intent, they started having sex. Emma made sure she was really thorough. taking extra care to really please him. She watched as his face contorted to sensations of bliss. She smiled at such a reaction. It indicated that everything was going just as she hoped so far. She was completely focused on his pleasure, using her telepathy to sense it. With that as her guide she began working it harder, building up a strong sexual rhythm where each bodily motion was exceedingly focused to maximize the feeling.

Pleasured moans soon filled the room. Scott fell further into a daze of ecstasy. She purred at his touch. She was so focused on him, leaning over and passionately kissed him through every motion. Their naked skin glided effortlessly through each motion, making for a very heated feeling. They kept with a nice, steady rhythm, really drawing out the experience. They made it last for a good ten minutes or so. Then when they neared their peak Emma urged him to open his mind to hers.

In his lustful daze Scott didn't give it much thought. He did as she asked, opening his mind to hers. When he did he felt Emma send a telepathic probe into the depths of his mind. Immediately, he felt the sensations intensify. It was as if she reached in and stimulated his entire pleasure center. It was that telepathy trick Xavier often used and one he experienced with Jean many times before. Only Emma was doing it with so much focus, not caring about her own pleasure and focusing entirely on his. It was amazing and pushed them both to orgasm.

Scott's entire body relaxed as the feeling washed over him. Emma felt it as well, sharing in the senstions. For a moment they each bathed in the feeling. Scott was especially overwhelmed, sinking into the bed as the lingering effects of so much pleasure inundated his body and mind. It was really something. He could tell Emma was making an extra effort to pleasure him. And she was doing a hell of a job. As he gathered himself, Emma smiled down on him affectionately. She then leaned back over his content form, parting his sweaty hear from his face and giving him a soft kiss.

"Enjoying yourself, darling?"

"Oh yeah!" was all Scott could get out, "I should save your life more often."

"It's the least I can do," she said softly, "A man like you who goes out of his way for a woman like me deserves this and so much more. And if you thought that was good wait until you see what else I have in store."

"I figured you would have more," grinned Scott, "But that first round is going to be hard to top."

"Oh it's going to get better. Just you wait and see!"

Emma was intent on making good on her word. She just showed him the kind of pleasure she was capable of giving him. And his response to it was just as she would expect from any man. But if she was to really work him over like she wanted, she had to give him more than this. So she pulled him into another position and kissed him again. Even though their bodies were still reeling from their first orgasms, the burning lust and arousal they built up was still going strong. And Emma planned on making good use of it.

For the next hour, Emma built off the mood she and Scott established with the first round and pushed it to new blissful heights. They kept kissing and touching, moving their bodies passionately to the sexual fervor. They went at it in various positions, reaching more orgams together. Emma kept setting the pace, showing through her passionate gestures that she was totally focused on making this good for him. They never went too fast or two fervent. It was all about drawing it out, really making each sensation count. It made for a wonderfully heated feeling.

Scott was really enjoying himself. He almost forgot about all the tension from earlier. It really seemed as though Emma was just returning the favor, sharing with him a memorable night full of sex and ecstasy. She was so focused on making him feel good. She normally focused on her own enjoyment, even with him. But this was different and he loved it. The more he got into it, the less concerned he was that she would try something. This wasn't about her trying to steal him from Jean. This was just two people, sharing a good time together.

Emma Frost had sex with Scott plenty of times before. But it was never like this. This was different. This was special. By putting some extra effort into pleasing him, he was going to realize that she was the one for him. They were meant to be together, not him and Jean. The more she filled his mind with pleasure the more he fell into her spell. She sensed he was close. She was about ready to make her move.

After only a momentary breather, Scott and Emma were doing it in another position. Emma was on her side and Scott was lying behind her. By now they had worked up a good sweat, yet they were still going strong. Emma closed her eyes and moaned, caressing his face from behind as she enjoyed the feeling. She kept pushing the feeling until they were nearing another climax. That's when she made her move.

While Scott was focused on pushing her to the brink, Emma reached behind the bed using her free hand to retrieve the little 'surprise' she paid to have stashed there. It was a tiny metallic disk no bigger than a doughnut, but it packed a much larger punch than its size indicated. As Scott's movements intensified, Emma activated the disk. Then it was just a matter of waiting for the right moment.

_'That's it darling! Just a little bit further! Just a little more and I'll make you feel the best pleasure yet!'_

She then felt him climax again. She made sure the feeling was intense, using her telepathy to enhance the sensations like before. Then as he closed his eyes and moaned out in ecstasy, she made her move. In one swift motion, she turned around and slammed the small disk onto the back of his head. As soon as it made contact it activated and Scott's moans of ecstasy turned into moans of discomfort.

"Auuuuuugggggghhhhhhh!" he yelled out.

His body contorted in discomfort and he rolled over in a fit of convulsions. Then with a sneaky grin, Emma pounced on top of him so that she was holding his arms at his side while firmly straddling his waist.

"Take it easy, darling. This is all part of your reward," she said, ignoring his pained groans, "That disk isn't going to hurt you. It's just going to numb your mind for a few minutes."

"Ahhhhhhh Emma! What are you…ahhhhhhhhh!"

"Don't struggle, darling. You're just going to hurt yourself and I don't want that," she said with an eerie touch of sincerity as she held him firmly, "I just need you to let the disk do its thing. Then once your mind is numb, I'll move in and make a few minor changes."

Scott continued to fight it, trying to overcome Emma's hold. But the blinding surge in his head locked out his ability to control his limbs. It was as if every signal his brain sent was locked out. The more he fought it the more painful it was. Al the while Emma just kept leering over him, looking at him with this strange look of affection as if what she was doing was an act of love.

"I've waited so long for this," she told him intently, "These past few years, I've grown very fond of you…so fond that I can no longer escape the truth. I'm in love with you Scott. I'm in love with you and I want to be with you. But that can't happen so long as you have feelings for Jean. That's what I'm going to change. By the time you come to, you will only love me. We can share a happiness we can't have with anyone else. Don't you see Scott? We belong together!"

Jean was right. Emma was up to something, but he had no idea she would try something like this. This dream night was turning into a nightmare. He couldn't give in. He couldn't let Emma do this. He made a promise to Jean. He swore he wouldn't let her tear them apart. And he was going to keep that promise no matter how much it hurt.

Emma began to worry. Scott was still struggling and she was starting to feel his body twitch, as if he was overcoming the disk. That shouldn't have been possible. Sinister told him this thing was full proof. The pained look on his face was starting to get to her. She tried not to look at it, but she had to if she was to keep him contained. She just needed him to give in. They just had to get through this one obstacle and everything would be alright.

"Please Scott! Just stop fighting it!" she urged him.

"Augh-hnn-no!" he grunted through the pain.

"Scott!" she exclaimed, trying to use her telepathy to end it quicker.

"NO!"

It seemed impossible, but Scott somehow managed a burst of strength and was able to literally throw Emma off of him. She tumbled onto the floor beside the bed, groaning in pain as she was momentarily stunned. While she was picking herself up off the floor, Scott grunted harder and pushed through the pain. Then with a second burst of strength he reached behind his head, grabbed onto the disk, and yanked it off with all his might. Doing so was like ripping off a thousand band-aids all at once, but as soon as it was off the paralyzing surge stopped and in a fit of discontent he threw the disk across the room where it shattered against the wall.

Scott keeled over the other side of the bed, panting heavily and catching his breath. He felt as though his brain had been on fire. It was a struggle just to form coherent thoughts again. As he caught his breath, Emma rose up and looked at him anxiously. That wasn't supposed to happen. He wasn't supposed to be able to do that. But somehow he was able to and now she was left with some major explaining to do.

"Scott…" she said as she crawled back onto the bed.

"Stay back, Emma!" yelled Scott.

"But…"

"I mean it!" Scott reiterated firmly, his eyes flashing red to show just how serious he was.

Emma froze in place, watching as he rubbed his sore temples. He then got up from the bed, still clearly dizzy but his mind was intact enough to shoot her a harsh scorn.

"You…you bitch!" he said in a fit of anger, "THAT was the surprise? I can't believe you, Emma! I expect that sort of trick against an enemy, but not against a friend!"

"Scott, I can explain!" said Emma, raising her voice as well.

"Explain what?! That this whole 'reward' bit was just a ruse to get me alone so you can mind rape me into loving you?!"

Emma fell silent again. There was nothing else she could add. He had it all right. He knew the truth and there was no hiding from it anymore. She sensed him completely close her mind off to him, not wanting to risk anything more. Now fully coherent he just kept looking at her in anger. She had gotten that look from many people in the past, but none ever hurt her like this.

"I should have seen this coming," he said in a low tone, "Jean told me you were up to something. I guess I should have believed her."

Emma's face contorted in anger. That woman just had to ruin everything.

"Scott, set aside your anger for a moment and just listen to me," she said, trying to keep her emotions in check.

"Trust me, Emma, there's nothing from you I want to hear," he said as he turned away and started gathering his clothes.

"I was only doing what was best for both of us!" she exclaimed, now on the verge of tears, "I sat by and watched you and Jean these past few years and I've seen that she's no good for you!"

"It doesn't matter what you see or sense. You're still wrong," scoffed Scott as he put his pants back on.

"She constantly belittles you! She constantly questions you! She doesn't appreciate you! How is that love? You may not see it, but I do! Face it, she's not right for you, Scott! I understand you better than she ever could! I love you more than she ever could!"

"No you couldn't," said Scott firmly.

"Yes I could!" she said intently, standing up and facing him intently.

"No, you couldn't!" Scott restated strongly, "You can't understand because you don't know the first thing about love! All those reasons you listed for Jean not being right for me? That's part of why I love her so much! She pushes me to be better! She questions me when I should be questioned! She understands me in a way you never can because you're too caught up in your own jealousy!"

"Scott, you're being irrational!"

"You're the only irrational one, Emma!" said Scott, now leering over her with a dominating anger in his eyes, "You think twisting someone's mind into loving you counts as love? That's not love. That's…that's madness!"

Emma tried to remain strong under his gaze. She never let a man talk down to her like this before. She didn't even let her bastard father talk to her like this. But as she gazed into this man's eyes she was struck in a way she had never been struck before. It hit her right in her heart where it hurt most. She could already feel tears welling up in her eyes, something she hadn't felt in a long time.

Upon seeing her tears, Scott backed off slightly and lowered his tone. He could have blasted her more, but he wasn't about to stoop to her level of madness. He was just going to tell her the truth.

"To truly love someone, you would do anything to protect them from suffering. To truly love is to make yourself vulnerable to being hurt yourself. If you're not willing to do either of those then there's no hope."

His words hurt, but there was truth to them. Emma was never a fan of the truth, but this was unavoidable. And Scott wasn't finished.

"I'm sorry, Emma. But I don't love you. I'm in love with Jean. That's not going to change now or ever. I considered you a friend. But you just took it too far. You betrayed my trust. And until I can trust you again, I don't want to be around you."

"That's it? You say you don't love me and you're just going to leave me to deal with that?!" said Emma, holding back a sob.

"That's how it has to be," he told her, "It's going to hurt, I know. But at least now you know how I feel."

He then put his shirt back on and made his way to the door, ignoring the pained look in Emma's face. She was on the verge of breaking down for the first time in her life. But before he left, he had one final message for her.

"Goodbye, Emma."

And with that he walked out of the door and out of the suite, leaving Emma Frost in a heartbroken daze. She sat as still as a statue, naked on the bed she and Scott shared so much pleasure in. But that one act that she thought would bring them together ended up tearing them apart. She never anticipated this would happen. She never contemplated failure in any plan she set into motion. This was a true first for her and the pain she felt from it was unbearable.

For a moment she felt as though she was going to break down in tears. But being Emma Frost, she closed her eyes, wiped away her tears, and locked it all inside. For the second time in her life, she opened herself up again to somebody. She reached out to Scott Summers just as she had Shanobi Shaw and the result was the same. What she thought she felt wasn't true. She thought she loved Shanobi, but that was all a lie. She thought she loved Scott Summers, but he rejected her. Now her heart was broken again. And in wake of such pain, she was consumed not with sorrow or remorse, but with anger.

'_Scott…I gave myself to you. I gave you everything. And you threw it all away. Jean…I listened to you. I opened up to someone. And it just led to more pain. You were wrong! You were both wrong! Now you'll both pay for this! I swear on everything holy, you'll both pay!'_

* * *

**Up next: Emma is hit hard by Scott's rejection and is pushed to the brink as other forces start gathering.**

**AN: So what do you think so far? Please let me know. Send me your feedback via email or post a review on the fanfiction website. And if you want to see some uncut versions of the Scott/Emma scene or any graphic scene in this story, please check out the adultfanfiction version through a link on my profile. Thank you all very much for reading and I wish everybody the best.  
**


	5. Ignorant Vengeance

**New Blood  
Chapter 5: Ignorant Vengeance**

* * *

**Jean's Quarters**

Jean Grey had never been so anxious before in her life. Here she was, lying in her bed staring at the ceiling, while the love of her life was spending the night with a cold, manipulative bitch that seemed bent on stealing him from her. It had always been a challenge, having such an open relationship with Scott. Having sex with other people was normal around the Hellfire Club, but it tested their level of commitment for one another. For nearly five years they were able to work through it. They both thought they were at a point where it didn't bother them anymore. Then Logan came along and it became an issue again. Now Emma was in the mix and everything seemed to be coming to ahead.

It was agonizing. Scott assured her many times that it was going to be okay. He asked for her trust like she did for him with Logan. And she gave it to him just as he had done with her. She trusted him to do this and yet it was still so hard. Who knows what Emma Frost would pull? For all she knew she could mind rape him into loving her. Emma had always been unpredictable and she wasn't above playing dirty. And if what she saw from her earlier was any indication, she had something in mind. All she could really do was hope Scott kept his promise.

By far, the hardest part now was the waiting. Scott and Emma planned to be gone all night, leaving her plenty of time to worry. She had an off night. Many of the younger pawns were working at Club Hellfire. James, Piotr, Bobby, Kitty, Warren, Roberto, and Rogue were on assignment in Hong Kong. Pietro was still recovering from his injuries with the help of Hank. Laura and Julian were off, but were occupying themselves by having sex again. Alex, Tabitha, Sam, and Lorna were out with Rahne and Sage for a lesson and an assignment on the West Coast. Wanda and Kurt were on some mission in the Balkans. And Moria and Lord Xavier was having another one of his secretive meetings. It left her with little to do other than lay around and mope.

She tried sleeping, but that was next to impossible. She thought about getting a massage, but she couldn't really get in the mood for that. She thought about studying her magic a little, but with Julian and Laura going at it in the library occupied that was out. She tried reading in her room, but that didn't help either. She couldn't even get past one page without her mind wandering.

'_Damn it, why can't this night be over with already?! There's got to be some way to make it move faster!'_

As Jean shifted anxiously in her bed, her mind lamenting every other second, she heard a knock at her door. It startled her at first, but when she heard the voice on the other end her mood shifted.

"Jeannie? It's me. We need to talk," said Logan in his gruff tone.

Sighing to herself, Jean slipped off the bed and made her way over her door. Given her current situation, Logan was the last person she wanted to see. But she needed something to distract her from this. When she opened the door she saw Logan standing before her, looking almost as anxious as her.

"What is it, Logan?" she asked in an exasperated.

"I know. But I really need to tell you something. Can I come in?"

He seemed serious and he was giving her that desperate look again. It was the look that always seemed to affect her. She just couldn't say no to it. So despite her mood she opened the door and let him in.

"What's this about, Logan?" she said as she closed the door and leaned against the wall, "This isn't a good time so forgive me if I can't give you the usual attention."

"I understand, darlin'," he said, not looking her in the eye, "But this can't wait. And you deserve to know this."

"Know what? And why aren't you looking at me?" she asked suspiciously.

"Because I know you ain't gonna like what I'm about to say," he said, still turned away, "It has to do with Emma."

Jean's demeanor shifted and her expression became graver. She walked up closer to Logan, who was still looking away from her. But she could sense from him a great deal of anguish and anger. It gave her a sinking feeling in the pit of her stomach that only got her more worked up.

"Emma?! What about her? Does it have to do with her and Scott?" said Jean intently.

"Yeah…to some extent," he said.

Now Jean was really fuming. Logan took a deep breath and turned around to face her. She looked pretty upset, not to mention angry. This was going to be harder than he thought. He never feared the wrath of anybody, but Jean Grey was a special case. And as much as he didn't want her to hate him, he couldn't avoid this.

"Look Jeannie, you know how I feel about you," he told her, "You know you mean a lot to me and I'd do damn near anything for you. And the last thing I'd ever want to do is hurt you."

"I know, Logan. Get to the point already!" said Jean impatiently, "You're hiding something!"

"I'm trying, damn it! It just ain't easy, okay? I don't know how to tell you this because I know you'll hate me for it!"

Jean tried to calm down, knowing Logan was never easy to deal with when he was angry.

"Let me be the judge of that," she said in a calmer tone.

Logan froze for a moment, preparing to tell her the cold hard truth. But as much as he went over this, he couldn't get a single word out. It was as if his brain was freezing up on him. The more he looked into her beautiful green eyes, the harder it was. He wanted to tell her, but he didn't want to lose her either. But he wasn't going to leave this room until she knew the truth.

"Fuck, I don't even know where to begin!" he grunted in frustration, "Could you just…look into my mind? I don't even want to say it."

"Could you at least try and tell me?" asked Jean intently.

"Just look into my head already! You'll see what I mean," he said in a grim tone.

Jean sighed in frustration, but did as he asked. She felt him lower his mental shields. His mind was now open on all levels for the first time, allowing her to enter with ease. Logan was always guarded his mind so well so for him to just let down all his defenses like this was pretty extreme. When Jean entered, she saw more than he had ever shown her before. She had been in his mind before, but not like this. Everything was open to her. She saw traces of his broken memory, she saw the extent of his feelings for her, and she saw how much he hated seeing her and Scott together. It was those feelings that led her to what Logan was trying to tell her. And when she saw it, her eyes widened and she pulled away from Logan in anger.

"You…you knew?!" she exclaimed.

"Yeah," was all Logan said.

"You knew and you even contemplated helping her?!"

"Yeah…but I didn't," he told her, "I'm sorry."

"For nine months, Logan?!" she exclaimed again.

"Yeah…for nine months."

Now it was Jean's turn to look away. She had been anxious before, but now she was just upset. He knew Emma was planning this. He knew she had strong feelings for Scott and was planning to make a move on him. This man, who she opened herself up to and gave herself to, knew this and kept it from her for nine months. It was a major breach of her trust and their friendship.

For a moment she just stood there, looking at him with a mix of anger and disgust. Logan's expression remained stoic, hiding the guilt he felt for what he had done.

"But…why?" asked Jean intently.

"You know why, Jeannie," said Logan, moving in closer to her, "I can't help how I feel about you. And seein' you with Scott just tore me the fuck up inside! So when Emma came along, saying she could change that, I listened. And I guess…I wanted it to be a possibility."

"You thought helping Emma Frost would make me love you?!" exclaimed Jean.

"Hell no, I figured out pretty quickly how that bitch would screw me over," said Logan quickly, "You can thank Raven for that."

"But you still didn't tell me?!" she repeated, "If I had known, Scott and I could have done something!"

"I know," said Logan in a low tone.

"And now it's too late! There's no telling what Emma might do now!"

"I know," Logan said again, making it clear he felt guilty about this, "I just…didn't want to lose you, Jeannie."

Jean couldn't believe it. This man was so obsessed with her he was willing to lie like this to be with her. That wasn't love that was madness. And Logan knew it. She wasn't sure what to make of this. She ended up hugging her shoulders and turning away, not knowing whether to be angry at him or just angry at herself. It was bad enough he just confirmed her fears about Emma. But for him to keep this from her for so long was just too much.

Logan never saw her so angry at him before. He tried to put his hand on her shoulder, but he stopped himself. He didn't deserve to comfort her. He didn't even deserve to be close to her like this. Most people (normal people) would never do this to someone they claimed to love. He had to do something about this to salvage whatever friendship he could have with this woman.

"Jeannie…" he said, "I'm so sorry. I know I messed up. But I just…I love you, Jeannie. I can't help it."

Jean turned around and looked him in the eye, this time with less anger.

"Logan…what you feel for me isn't love," she said strongly, "You don't do this sort of thing to people you love. To be willing to lie and keep secrets from someone just so they won't hate you isn't love. That's just…obsession."

Logan's expression fell. He didn't want to believe that what he felt wasn't love, but this woman had just been in his head. And unlike him, she hadn't betrayed his trust. He knew she wouldn't lie to him on matters such as this.

"You're a complicated man, Logan. You really don't understand love. You just think you do because it's like an instinct. But you of all people should know that instincts aren't always right. To really love someone is to go beyond instinct. Do you understand?"

"Yeah…I understand," he muttered.

Jean moved in closer, still keeping a fair distance from him, but there was less anger in her tone now.

"Logan, I like you. I really do. But this…you have to stop this. I love Scott. I don't love you. I don't want to hurt you, but you can't let it go this far. You have to understand that what you feel for me isn't what you think."

"I know…I know," he said in defeat, "I still got a lot to learn. I know that's not an excuse for what I did."

"It isn't," said Jean.

"But I am what I am, Jeannie. I know I messed up, but I don't want you to hate me, okay? I don't want us to grow apart just because I can't handle feelings I don't understand."

Jean was silent, not sure if she could keep from resenting this man on some levels. But she didn't turn away from him. She watched as he moved in closer with a determined look on his face. He really did want to make this better.

"What do I have to do to make it up to you?" he asked her, "I know I can't undo what I did. But there's gotta be something I can do! At least give me a chance."

Jean's eyes diverted from his for a moment as she contemplated this situation. So much of this could have been prevented had Logan just told her from the beginning. It would save her from all this anxiety she was feeling. But it was too late to change anything. The damage had been done. She resented Logan for what he did. She didn't hide how angry she was at him. But she believed him when he said he was sorry. It wasn't his fault that he couldn't make sense of these feelings. She was also to blame for not settling this sooner. But there was no time to dwell on the mistakes. They had enough to deal with as it is.

Then Jean got an idea. It wasn't the most rational idea, but it seemed appropriate for their situation. She looked back at Logan and leaned in closer, the look in her eyes not waning.

"There's nothing you can do to make me completely forget what you did," she told him, "But there is one thing that may help me get through this."

"Name it," said Logan strongly.

What happened next caught him completely off guard. Jean lunged at him, wildly throwing her arms around him and pulling him into a deep, hungry kiss. It wasn't like the kisses they normally shared. This was full of intent and a hint of frustration, as if to make a point that there was only lust between them and not love. Logan never saw her do something like this before, but given the situation it seemed appropriate.

"So long as Scott and Emma are out, I need a distraction," she said upon abruptly parting, "So if you really want to make it up to me, fuck me long and hard so I stop thinking about it. And don't stop fucking me until I tell you or I pass out. Understand?"

It was a hell of a way to make up for what he did. There was still a touch of anger in her tone. But she seemed dead serious. And he was in no condition to refuse.

"If that's what you want, Jeannie…" he told her.

"It's what I need," she said strongly, "Now please, just do this for me so I can get through this."

Without another word, Logan began complying with her requested. They kissed again with the same forceful vigor. Only now Logan was kissing back, letting his feral side take over. Jean's hands wildly and lustfully trailed over his upper body, more so than even Logan and he was supposed to be feral one. She wasn't playful or affectionate. She just started leading him towards the bed, shedding her clothes in the process. Logan soon followed suite as they fell back on the bed. She then crawled on top of him, and continued to fervently kiss him in a heat of frantic lust.

Logan had never seen her so worked up before. The way she was kissing and touching him was so heated, as if she was trying to let out all the anger and tension she felt over this situation. She was so rough with him he barely had time to get aroused. To help him catch up with her Jean chanted a couple of strange, incoherent phases. Then her eyes flashed a fiery red/orange color, indicating she cast a spell of sorts. Suddenly Logan grew aroused much faster. It was a little uncomfortable, but he had experienced it before during sex rituals. The spell also seemed to get her aroused as well. Anxiety and tension had a negative effect on the libido, but a little magic did a way with that.

Still on top, Jean pinned the feral mutant to the bed. Then in a heated show of lust, she negotiated her body onto his and they began having heated, lustful sex.

"Jeannie…" gasped Logan as he was overwhelmed by the sensations.

"Please, no more talking Logan! Just fuck me and don't stop!"

Logan fell silent and went along with it. Their heated romp quickly turned into a daze of pure lust with Jean leading the charge. Usually she was the one that had to keep up with him, but now he was the one struggling. All he could do was lay back and let his baser instincts take over. There was no dragging it out or savoring the feeling. There was just fervent, primal sex. They went at it until Jean got her first climax. But she barely slowed down for it. She just kept up with the heated rhythm, driving Logan to a climax as well. It was overwhelming to him. This wasn't the kind of feeling he was used to with her. But he gave up trying to reason this and just went along with it. If this is what he needed to do to make it up to her, so be it.

Their sex continued to devolve into a chaotic, uncontrolled romp. There was no effort at passion, intimacy, or closeness. There was just pleasure and lust. They went at it in every way they could, sharing numerous orgasms in the process. But Jean got far more than Logan did. She never looked at him directly like she normally did. She just wanted to focus on the pleasure. Logan understood and tried to keep up with her, drowning his guilt and frustration in pleasure. They didn't even slow down in between climaxes. The magic Jean used along with Logan's healing factor kept them going. They had had many long, drawn out sex sessions like this before but this one was different. When they got to their normal limits, they just kept going.

No matter how heated it got, Jean kept urging him along. When he slowed down to give her some time to take it in she beckoned him to do it more. He hesitated at first, but then Jean practically shoved him into her with a little telekinesis and the fucking continued. It must have gone on for hours. They kept going at it in a constant, vigorous pace. They rarely slowed down, even for catching their breath. It seemed as though Jean really did want to push herself until she passed out. Even for Logan, it was a test of endurance. He could handle it, but Jean didn't have a healing factor. She was going on lust, magic, and emotions. But even that only took her so far.

Eventually, Jean's limits caught up with her. Yet she kept urging him to fuck her. With little strength to do much else, she lay flat on her back and let Logan finish the job. Her expression was dazed, her eyes barely open as he pushed her to the brink. She had never gone at it like this before with such reckless disregard. For both of them this wasn't so much sex as it was just humping. Logan was so spent he had to slow the pace, but he kept going until Jean reached her peak. It was her last gasp before her body completely gave out.

She let out one final moan as she had an orgasm. It wasn't as loud or euphoric as earlier. It wasn't even the best one she had. But it still sent waves of pleasure through her body that helped relieve some of the stress and anxiety that had made this such a difficult night for her. And when the feeling faded, so did her ability to stay conscious. She passed out in a sweaty daze, leaving Logan to take in everything he just did on his own.

"Jean? Jeannie?" he said, touching her sweaty face.

But it was no use. She was out cold. She pushed herself so hard she didn't have the strength to stay awake anymore. It was just as she requested. Logan did just as she asked and yet he still felt guilty about it.

Feeling pretty tired himself, he rose up off her in a daze. He was sore, tired, and in need of a shower. He sat down on the edge of the bed, looking down at Jean. She looked truly spent. Her hair was a mess and her body was covered in sweat among other fluids. It was a surreal sight and he found his thoughts wander as he looked at her.

This woman had done so much for him. She connected with him in a way he hadn't connected with anybody in a long time. He was so sure he had fallen for her. He was so sure they were meant to be. But after what he did to her, not telling her about Emma and keeping this from her until now, he wasn't so sure. Mystique told him early on that if he really did love her, he would do whatever was necessary not to hurt her. But he failed. And it wasn't because he was too emotionally distant or uncertain. He did it out of pure greed, not wanting to let go of any possibility that he could have her. And that wasn't love. He didn't even know what that was.

Sighing to himself, Logan gently ran his fingers through her sweaty hair. He didn't get emotional very often, but as he looked at her now a hard lump formed in his throat. Maybe in another life or another time, he and Jeannie could have been together. But this was different. He couldn't go on obsessing over this woman. It just wasn't right and it wasn't fair to her. And just like Raven said, he would have to make the most difficult decision possible. But at least it would be the right one.

"I'm sorry Jeannie," he said softly to her unconscious form, "I shouldn't have hurt you. You're right to stay with Summers. I can't love you like he can. I thought I could, but I was wrong. It just…isn't there, I guess. But feelings or no feelings, just know you'll always be special to me."

He then leaned in and gave her a soft kiss on the forehead. Then slowly and carefully, he tucked her naked body under her bed sheets. He then gathered his clothes and got dressed. But before he left he looked back at her one last time and sighed. It took him a long time, but he was ready to accept that he and Jean Grey were not meant to be.

All that was left now was to wait and see how Emma would fare. But he wasn't that worried about that anymore. If Scott loved Jean as much as she said he did, she was in for just as hard a time as he was.

* * *

**Xavier's Office**

It was a tense time for Charles Xavier. As powerful and strong as he had become, he was not immune to the pressures of having to deal with threats to his power. And lately they seemed to be coming from all fronts. Since the assassination attempt by the Hand, he mobilized much of his Hellfire forces into a counterattack. Nobody was supposed to strike against the Hellfire Club without consequences. And while at first he thought it would be easy to take down the Hand, he seriously underestimated them.

Despite their leader being dead and two of their top assassins, Elektra and Psylocke, no longer working for them, the Hand seemed as strong as ever. And not only were they strong, they were beginning to strike back against his operations. They attached his businesses, his financial assets, and his strongholds throughout Asia and the world. It shouldn't have been possible without their leader and some form of organization. But somehow the Hand was able to mobilize and stay strong. Their forces remained unified and despite his vast network, they were leaving their mark.

"Are you sure you killed them all?" said Xavier over the phone to Warpath.

"_I'm positive, Lord Xavier. I just had Sage do a sweep. There's no one left."_

"What about their network? Was she able to hack in and find out who or where the Hand is getting their orders from now?"

"_I'm sorry sir, but she hit another dead end. Every network keeps self destructing the second she starts probing. I haven't been able to follow their trail either."_

Xavier cursed under his breath. This was getting more than annoying. It was getting downright suspicious. The Hand was good, but they couldn't be this good without some kind of edge. And if he couldn't find out where they were getting their support then he couldn't stop them.

"What about the X-Industrial facilities they attacked? Were the other pawns able to repel them?"

"_Yes, but not without taking some major damage. Sage also found out they hit some of our communication and banking networks. It's nothing that can't be repaired, but it's still pretty serious."_

"Let me worry about rebuilding. Just find whatever else you can and tell the younger pawns to pull out and regroup. I'll move some more of our mercenary forces into the area to clean up."

"_But what if the Hand attacks again? These guys just don't quit! It's like they have some sort of jump on us! Sage says we may have a spy!"_

"If we do, I'll find him. And heaven help him when I do," said Xavier sternly, "Just clean up and report back to the manor. We'll have to start making more ambitious plans if we're to stop these attacks. I'll fill you in later."

"_Yes, my lord. Over and out."_

Xavier hung up the phone and sighed in frustration. It wasn't easy being Black King. The more power he wielded the bigger target he was. He knew he was taking a risk by going after secret societies like the Hand to further Hellfire's power. But the risk was not paying off nearly as well as he hoped. The Hand was putting up a formidable fight. Their reliance and efficiency was increasingly disturbing. It may very well be possible that there was a spy feeding them information. If there was, he had to find him and make him pay. It was yet a major problem he didn't need at the moment.

Despite the growing crisis with the Hand, he could not forget about his ongoing issues with Selene and Sinister. They had fallen unusually silent lately. And to him that was not a good thing. That could only mean one of two things. Either they were done planning and just biding their time or they were already making their move and he just didn't notice. He wanted to dedicate more resources into spying on them, but his resources were stretched as a result of fighting the Hand. His spy network, manpower, and agents were all busy trying to stay a step ahead of the Hand. But staying a step ahead of one foe meant falling behind another. It was becoming increasingly evident that something was going to have to give. He just had to be ready to make the necessary choices.

As he tossed his phone aside, Charles turned his attention to the window where he gazed out over Manhattan. He always took a sense of comfort in such a view. Things were so much simpler when viewed from a distance. It was all a matter of perspective. He was a man of power in a world where power was everything. When he first became Black King, he believed he could wield his power better than any previous king before him. But there were some parts of having such power he wasn't prepared for. This was just one of them, but he never expected it to be easy. He knew that if he was to accomplish the ambitious goals he set, he would have to work through such challenges. He would also have to make sure he had a contingency plan.

As he stood, lost in thought, the doors to his office opened and Moria stepped in.

"Charles? Is this a bad time?" she said, noticing his disposition.

"For you, Moria, it's never a bad time," he said in a monotone, "But forgive me if I'm not my usual charming self. It's been a rough day."

"It's been a rough several days," said Moria as she approached him, "Rahne told me the Hand hit some of our European strongholds. The losses weren't catastrophic, but they were still costly."

"We can afford to pay it for now. But if this keeps up, I'm not so sure," Xavier lamented, "I'm beginning to fear this is the start of something much more serious."

"Oh Charles, don't be so negative," she said, coming up behind him and slipping her arms around his waist, "I think I have something that will cheer you up."

"I appreciate the thought, Moria. But I'm not really in the mood."

"No, it's not that!" she said, rolling her eyes, "It's some news I got from Forge. He just called me half an hour ago."

Xavier's expression shifted from demoralized to hopeful. Forge didn't often send them news, but when he did it was always important.

"What's his status?" asked the Black King intently, "Did he finish the 'project' I gave him?"

"Oh he finished it alright," grinned Moria, "I saw for myself. The prototype is ready and was successfully tested."

"So it's ready to use?"

"Ready and waiting. It's not the final product, but it does deliver."

"That's all I need for now," said Xavier intently, "How long before I can have it on my desk?"

"I've already paid to have a private courier ship it to us. It should be here tomorrow afternoon."

The Black King's spirits were immediately lifted.

"Excellent! And not a moment too soon it seems," he said, "With the Hand causing so much trouble and Selene and Sinister becoming increasingly reclusive, we need to move forward. It seems as though we'll be needing our backup plan sooner rather than later. Although I wish we didn't."

"So do I, Charles. But that's the price we pay for being in positions of power. We must be ready for others to target us. One might say it is our only weakness."

"Indeed, but what is that first rule about weaknesses I told you the day I offered you a chance to join me?" said Xavier as he smiled ominously at his long time love.

"Turn every weakness into a strength," said Moria, "And I think we'll have that covered soon."

He always loved how Moria was able to brighten his day no matter how bad it seemed to be going. That was just part of what made her so special. Still standing in her affectionate embrace, Xavier turned around and embraced her back. Even during times like these, he stayed true to his goals. And Moria helped remind him. For that he gave her a tender kiss, letting her know just how important she was to him.

It was complicated yet cunning affair. But if Selene, Sinister, and the Hand could all operate in the shadows, why couldn't they? If they were going to make plans behind their backs, they were going to make some plans of their own. Only their plan was going to have to be better than all of them. Their plan was going to have to be so solid that there was nothing any one of them could do to stop them. There were so few people in the loop, but that was how it was going to have to be for now. But as good as they felt their plan was, there were still some uncertainties.

"Glad to see your spirits up again," smiled Moria, "But are ye sure about making Danielle such a big part of this operation? Not that I dislike the lass, but she's young and still has a lot to learn."

"I wouldn't have let her in on this if I wasn't completely sure she could handle it," Xavier said confidently, "Danielle may have a certain amount of youthful naivety, but she is Hellfire through and through. I've made sure of that as I've been secretly working with her."

"And what about Selene and Sinister? Do they know you're working with her?"

"Oh come now, my dear. You know I'm more cunning that that," he said coyly.

"Just making sure," grinned Moria, "But as soon as that package arrives, she's going to have to play guinea pig for a while."

"I know. And so does she. But Danielle can handle it. I'm sure of it."

"Let's hope so because youth or no youth, that lass may be our only hope to defeat all our enemies in one stroke."

"She'll do what is necessary. That's all we can ask of her," said the Black King, "We just have to be ready for when Selene and Sinister make their move."

"And just when do ye think that will happen?"

"Soon," he said strongly, "I don't know exactly when. I just know it's going to happen soon. But when it does, we'll make our move."

The Black King sounded confident and poised as always. Moria always took comfort in how he handled himself in tough situations. It was part of what made him such a good Black King. But they had never faced a situation as tough as this. They had enemies bearing down on them from all sides it seemed and it wouldn't be long before they all came together and struck them. And in the Hellfire Club, it was bound to get bloody. Historically, even the most solid reign in the organization ended with bloodshed. Charles hoped to end that, at least on his side. Those who opposed him, however, wouldn't be so lucky.

With his spirits higher and with a new sense of excitement, Moira felt his hands slip lower onto her body. When she felt him squeeze her butt, a sultry expression formed. Even in times of great stress, Charles knew how to stay upbeat in more ways than one.

"Mmm…I thought ye weren't in the mood, Charles."

"I wasn't. But moods are always subject to change," he grinned wryly, "And you're often responsible for changing them."

"Guess that means I should make good use of it," she purred softly, "It has been a while since we tested the legs of your desk."

"It has, hasn't it? Care to try them again?"

"Why not? It's closer than the bedroom."

Despite a war with the Hand, a growing threat from Sinister, and the ever present danger of sharing power with Selene, Charles Xavier and Moria MacTaggart still had time to enjoy themselves. They shared a series of heated kisses before backing towards his desk where the Black King laid his love down and made love. It was a difficult time indeed, but it was never too difficult for them to be together. And they had no intention of letting any one of their enemies take this from them. They would see to it no matter what.

* * *

**Hellfire Manor Foyer – Later**

Upon leaving the resort, Scott hailed a cab back to Hellfire Manor. His head was still throbbing and his mind was reeling, but he also had a strong sense of relief that this ordeal was over now. Emma Frost, someone he trusted and connected with, betrayed him in the worst possible way. She tried to mind rape him, forcing him to love her and reject Jean. He really didn't see it coming despite the warnings Jean gave him early on. He didn't want to believe that Emma would do something like that to him, but she did. The damage was done now. All that was left was to pick up the pieces.

When Scott got back to the manor he walked through the front door in a daze. There was only one thing left to do now. There was only one person he wanted to see. It was late so she was probably asleep. But whatever the case may be, he just had to be near her. He had to be with Jean.

He tiredly ascended the stairs, going over everything he knew he was going to have to say to this woman who he came so close to losing. Scott didn't know what to expect, but he wasn't about to shy away from this. Just as he got to the top of the stairs he was met by Logan, who had been casually leaning against the wall in a daze just as deep as his.

"You're back early. What happened? Couldn't keep up with her?" said Logan in his gruff tone.

Normally Scott would have scorned Logan for making such a crude comment like that, but tonight he wasn't in the mood for it.

"Save the dirty comments for another time, Logan. I don't have the energy to humor you."

"Whatever, bub," he shrugged, "So where's Frost?"

"I don't know. Probably still at the resort. There was some…unpleasantness. I had to leave."

"Unpleasantness, huh? How bad was it?"

"What do you care?" scoffed Scott, "Let's just say she took advantage of my trust and tried to use me for her own selfish reasons. If you consider that pretty bad, then yes…it was really bad."

Logan was silent for a moment, contemplating what that woman could have done. She seemed so certain that she would succeed, yet here Scott was talking about it. That could only mean one thing.

"So you stopped her," he stated plainly.

"I didn't let it get too far. That's all I'll say. I don't want to go into details so I won't. It's over now so I really don't want to dwell on it."

Logan wasn't sure why, but he smiled at Scott's response. As much as he resented him, he did the right thing when he had to. He fought back against Emma Frost and succeeded. That alone was worthy of at least some of his respect. But beyond him not giving into that bitch, it also meant that he wouldn't be breaking Jean's heart. He still loved her and wasn't going back on those feelings anytime soon. It meant the secret he kept from Jean wouldn't hurt her anymore and that was good for him. It also meant that he and Jean would probably never be together, but if that was the price he had to pay so be it.

"Why are you so interested anyways?" asked Scott suspiciously.

"Like I'd tell you," he said with a wolfish grin, "But I don't think you want to get into another fight with me tonight. Right now Jeannie needs you. She's asleep in her bed waiting. And I'm not gonna keep you from her."

Scott looked at Logan in bewilderment. Normally he would do anything and everything to keep him from Jean. But not this time. It was as if he wanted him to be with Jean right now. It didn't seem very Logan-like, but the look on his face indicated he was dead serious.

"Don't give me that look," grumbled Logan, "I don't want to dwell on it either. Just go to her already before I change my mind."

Scott was silent for a moment, but then he smiled. He and Logan didn't get along and probably never would. But there were still some attributes of his that were worthy of respect. He wasn't going to praise him for it. He was content to just leave things as they were.

Without another word, he walked past Logan and towards Jean's quarters. Logan didn't move from where he was, still lost in thought. But before Scott got too far, he turned around and delivered one last comment.

"One more thing, bub," he said, stopping Scott in his tracks, "There's somethin' we gotta get clear before we never speak of this again."

"And what's that, Logan?" asked Scott intently.

Logan took a deep breath. He was never good at humbling himself, but for the sake of getting this out of the way he swallowed his pride and said what he had to say.

"I love Jeannie. You love her too. But I can't love her like you and she can't love me like she loves you. I'm not gonna stop seeing her and I'm not gonna be any nicer to you because of it. But just remember of all the pricks out there, she chose you. I accept that now. And don't you damn ever forget it."

"I won't," said Scott with a half smile, "If I ever do, I expect you to be there to decapitate me."

"Consider it done," Logan grinned.

Scott still didn't like Logan and he didn't like him either. But they were slowly growing to respect one another. Logan accepted that Scott was the one for Jean and Scott accepted that Logan and Jean were close friends. They didn't put it into words, but they didn't have to. They silently agreed that this was how things were. It may not help them get along any better, but it would make everything easier.

With one long standing issue now out of the way, Scott turned his focus onto another. Jean was waiting for him and he needed to be with her now. They had to get this issue out of the way so they could move on.

* * *

**Jean's Quarters**

Scott Summers entered Jean's room with a mix of anxiety and anticipation. He still wasn't sure what he was going to say, but he wasn't going to leave until he said it. Upon entering he found her lying peacefully under the sheets of her bed. As he quietly moved in closer he found that she was naked. She also had all the signs of having had sex. From the looks of it she had a lot of sex. But he wasn't about let that bother him. Given what he did with Emma, it was only fair and he couldn't blame her. But none of that mattered anymore. All that mattered was being with her and laying this issue to rest.

Quietly and carefully, Scott sat down on the side of her bed. For a moment he just admired her peaceful form. He gently traced his fingers through her messy hair and face, smiling at her angelic appearance. Even in such a disheveled state, she was so beautiful. It was amazing to believe a man like him could have a woman like her in a place like this. Such a big part of their lives revolved around violence, murder, and deceit. Yet they were able to maintain that fragile balance between darkness and light. They were able to love in the face of so many other conflicting forces. That only proved how strong their bond was. Had they fallen in love in more normal, traditional circumstances it probably would never be this strong.

As he gently stroked her face, Jean stirred from her slumber. She let out a tired groan, clearly still sore from all her earlier activities. But when she opened her eyes and saw Scott sitting there on her bed, that passionate glow she always carried with her returned and she smiled warmly.

"Hey," said Scott as he smiled back.

"Hey yourself," she said tiredly as she rose up slightly, "What are you doing back so early? Is everything okay?"

Scott leaned in closer and gave her a soft kiss on the forehead, which said more to Jean than he ever could put into words.

"Yeah…everything's fine now," he said.

Jean's smile widened as she rose up more and pulled Scott into another kiss. Even though she was naked and exhausted, she still had enough energy to embrace the man she loved. Tonight had been the first time she actually contemplated that they weren't going to make it. She really believed that Emma Frost might take Scott from her. But whatever she tried, she clearly failed. It was a great relief and made the moment all the more special.

"Jean…" said Scott as they parted, "I'm so sorry I didn't listen to you. You were right from the beginning about, Emma."

"You don't need to be sorry, Scott. You made a promise to me. And you kept that promise. That's all that matters."

Scott smiled warmly and embraced her closer. He was glad there was no bitterness or anger. It had definitely been a strain on both of them, but they were able to work through it. Their love was still strong and that was the biggest relief of all.

"So…what happened?" asked Jean curiously.

"It's a long story," muttered Scott, "She was pretty…pushy to say the least."

"But not pushy enough to make you stop loving me?"

"Not even close," he assured her, "But don't worry about Emma now. That's over. I made it clear you're the one I love. She didn't take it very well, but that's something we'll just have to work out later on."

"With Emma? That's going to be tricky."

"I know. But that's how it has to be."

Jean smiled again, happy to have her lover in her arms like this after such a tumultuous night. This ordeal with Emma was over now. They could finally move on and their love could continue to blossom.

"I love you, Scott," she said softly as she embraced him again.

"I love you too, Jean."

"Please…stay with me tonight."

"I'm not going anywhere," he said, giving her another soft kiss to assure her.

Without another word, Scott curled up next to Jean. She was still under the sheets and he was still wearing the clothes he had been wearing earlier. But that didn't matter. All that mattered was that they were together and in each others' arms. Under normal circumstances they would have made love to reinforce the point. But after a night like this, they didn't have the energy. They were content to just lie in each others arms and slip away into a peaceful sleep.

Their relationship had seen many challenges over the years and this had been by far the most daunting. But they got through it and their bond was stronger than ever. Now they could move on. There would no doubt be some fallout as a result of this night. But they would deal with that all in due time.

* * *

**Emma's Quarters**

Emma Frost had never been so desolate before in her life. She thought there was nothing she couldn't handle. She thought nobody could ever get under her skin. But she thought wrong. Her heart had been broken once and that was bad. Now it had been broken again and this was much worse.

She wasn't sure how long she lingered in the suite at the resort. All she remembered was sitting as still as a statue on the bed, distant and dazed over what had transpired with Scott. It kept playing out in her mind again and again. From the moment they started having sex to the moment he said goodbye to her, she scrutinized every detail. After a while the harsh reality dawned on her. There was nothing more she could have done. She followed her plan to the letter and yet it didn't work. Scott was able to reject her manipulation and reject her love. And his rejection, which hit so hard because of how it happened, hurt more than she ever could have imagined.

After a while she put her clothes back on and left, not even informing the resort she was doing so. She then called the limousine back up and it took her back to the manor. Once there she went straight up to her room where she sat in a cold, desolate silence. Her heart had been broken again. She reached out to someone, thinking she really connected with them, only to find out that it wasn't real. The pain she felt was indescribable. And the worse part of all was this wasn't the first time she suffered such heartache.

"_Shanobi? Shanobi, what are you doing?!"_

"_Quiet, Emma! I'm not playing this game anymore!"_

"_What game?! What the hell is this?!"_

"_You know what this is, Emma. You were just too foolish not to see it coming."_

The memory played out vividly in her mind. She and Shanobi had just shared a romantic dinner and returned to his room to make love. They had just stripped down to their underwear. She remembered being so impassioned with him, as if she knew somehow that the night was going to be different. It turned out she was right, but it was for all the wrong reasons. Just as he had her pinned against a wall, her legs hooked around him, he hit some sort of button and these metal shackles came shooting out of the wall and restrained her. It all went downhill from there.

"_Shanobi?! Darling…"_

"_Stop calling me that! I'm not your darling. I never was. Did you really think I was going to share my life, my wealth, and my power with you? Sorry, my dear, but that's more love than I can ever give."_

Looking back on it, she should have known better. But she had been a naïve, gullible teenage girl who never had much love in her life to begin with. So when she thought she found it with Shanobi she was willing to let her guard down. And she paid the price for it. She was just another pawn in his game.

"_You think I don't see what's going on? You think I haven't noticed what your mentor, Charles Xavier, is doing? He's been weakening the Inner Circle ever since he arrived! He and that idiot father of mine have been killing off the competition, positioning themselves to take even greater power! And you've been helping them! You think I don't know how many men you've seduced to his will?"_

"_I was just doing what I had to do! I served this organization just like you have! And now you're betraying it? And you're betraying me too?!"_

"_I'm not betraying you or this organization. I am just taking what is rightfully mine. And that means taking out the competition."_

"_You mean me don't you?"_

"_You are one of Xavier's favorite. You're next in line to manage his major financial and business holdings. That's a job I need if I am to position myself to take power. And you know what that means for you."_

Shanobi Shaw was a bastard of a man, every bit as cruel as his father. He didn't care about anything other than taking more power for himself. She was just in the way. And what better way to take her out of the picture by tricking her into falling in love with him. It was pretty smart. While they were together she shared with him things she never would have shared with anybody else. She told him about what she was doing and what Xavier was grooming her for. She failed to remember that he lived perpetually in his father's shadow and sought to work his way up in the Inner Circle, eventually usurping his father. To do that he had to position himself properly and she was the perfect target because of her unique relationship with Charles Xavier.

It was a page right out of the Hellfire Club tradition. The most common way people moved up was through assassination. She was in his way so he wanted to take her out of the picture. But he didn't just kill her. That would actually be kinder of him. He had to do something much worse.

"_So that's it?! That's all I am?! Just another obstacle for you to upstage your father? And they say I have daddy issues!"_

"_Shut up! You are in no position to criticize me, bitch!"_

"_Why not? You're the one who was so desperate to get the love your father never gave you. At least I don't hide it."_

"_So then why didn't you just kill me from the beginning? Why did you have to make me fall in love with you?! Why did you have to put me through this?!"_

What Shanobi said next was forever scarred in her memory.

"_You're a predator, Emma, just like me. You of all people should know that some predators like to play with their prey before they kill it."_

His venomous words hurt. The look in his eyes was so dark and sadistic she couldn't believe she once had such love for them. It hurt on a level that defied description. But as much as it hurt, she didn't shed a tear or break down. She just stood there in a cold, desolate manner just as she was now. Shanobi could have killed her right then and there and it wouldn't have bothered her in the slightest. She almost hoped for death because it would spare her of the pain of having to live this down. But fate had other plans.

"_Goodbye my, dear. Thank you for being so naïve and giving yourself to me so willingly. But I have no room for competition in my new order."_

'_Neither do I, Shanobi.' _

Just as Shanobi was about to kill her, they both heard the distinct telepathic voice of Charles Xavier in their heads. To Emma, it was a godsend. To Shanobi, it was the worst voice he could have heard. The door to his room burst open and Charles Xavier stepped in, looking none too happy about what he saw. And judging by the look on his face, he heard everything Shanobi said. That constituted betrayal of the highest order against the Hellfire Club. That meant he was due for a very severe punishment.

"_Lord Xavier?! I thought you were…"_

"_You're father sent me, Shanobi. He suspected you were being a very naughty boy. I guess he was. Now it seems you're in need of a good spanking."_

"_The hell I am!"_

Shanobi tried to attack Charles, but he didn't get far. Right behind him was Sage, who was wielding a special paralyzing gun that Sinister made. She emerged from behind him and shot him point blank before he could even get close enough to deliver a blow. His pained screams still echoed in her mind, but they were bittersweet. Shanobi may not have succeeded in his plans, but he still hurt her in ways she had never been hurt before. And that pain lingered for a long time.

The aftermath of Shanobi's betrayal was a blur to her. She remembered watching as Shaw tortured his own son to death, yelling at him and humiliating him for his betrayal. The kinds of things he did to Shanobi were so horrific even Selene was surprised. Even after he was killed, Emma felt the pain. Even though she was comforted in a ways to see Shanobi dead, the damage was done. Xavier was the only one who consoled her, but even with his help she shut herself off. She became even more cold and isolated. Before, she had just been a determined girl looking to work her way up into the Inner Circle. But whatever capacity for connecting with people she had was forever shattered by Shanobi.

Then Scott came along. He reached her on a level she hadn't been reached since Shanobi. He got her to feel something again that she hadn't felt in a long time. He broke through that cold shell of hers and brought out a new person in her. She was still no angel, but she felt better for it. And ironically enough, she only let him get under her skin because Jean suggested she open up. Taking her advice more or less sealed her fate. For all she knew Jean planned for this to happen. But whatever the case may be, she had been hurt again. And this time it was much worse.

Standing alone in her darkened room she walked up to a mirror and looked at herself. What few tears she shed when Scott rejected her had long since tried up. Now all that she saw was an angry, bitter woman. It wasn't a raging, burning anger she felt. It was cold and desolate, reflecting not only her demeanor but her very personality. And as this anger surged through her she had only one desire left…the desire for vengeance.

Suddenly a voice broke her from her thoughts.

"I take it your night didn't go as planned."

Emma turned around to see Monet casually leaning against her wall. She had been so lost in thought she forgot to lock her door and didn't even notice Monet enter. It showed just how distant she was, but was in no mood to talk about it.

"Go out of my room, Monet!" she demanded, "Make one more comment and I'll make your brain explode and your eyes fall out!"

"Oh please," she scoffed, "Dispense with the empty threats and hear me out. I didn't come here to mock your misfortune."

"If you don't leave in the next ten seconds I'll show you just how empty my threats are!"

"No you won't," said Monet confidently as she approached the volatile blonde.

"Oh? How do you figure?" scoffed Emma.

"Because if you do then you'll miss out on an opportunity to make everything right."

Emma cast Monet a suspicious look. This woman made quite a splash upon joining the Hellfire Club. Even though she was new and officially on the very low end of the Inner Circle hierarchy, she carried herself as if she were the Black Queen or something. She also took strongly to some of Hellfire's ruthless tactics, almost too strongly. But even before her arrival, she had a reputation for being serious. And when she talked about making everything right, it struck a chord.

Emma didn't say anything at first. She didn't do anything either. She just kept her cold gaze on Monet, studying her closely. She was clearly not in the mood to play around. If Monet was going to do what she had to do she had no room for error. Luckily, she had a knack for doing anything without error.

"I won't make light of what you're going through," said Monet, "I'm a telepath too you know. I can sense how upset you are. And I don't blame you. A broken heart is a terrible thing."

"Are you trying to be sympathetic? Because you're doing a piss poor job of it," said Emma.

"I'm trying to reinforce a point, Emma," said Monet, maintaining a reasonable tone, "What happened to you was wrong. Even you do not deserve this. And if you want, I can help you get back at Scott and even Jean. That is, of course, if that's what you want."

"Of course that's what I want!" Emma exclaimed, "Scott broke my fucking heart and just walked away without so much as an apology and Jean's the one who got me into this mess to begin with! If I hadn't taken her bloody advice I…"

Emma had to stop herself from going off on a full blown tantrum. She was still seething with anger and resentment. But Monet just kept smiling. It was as if she wanted her to be like this.

"It's not your fault," said Monet, "But regardless of what happened, you have a chance to do something about it. And I can help."

"Yeah right," scoffed Emma, "What could you do to help me? And moreover, why do you care?"

"Who said I cared?" said Monet, "What I propose is a deal. You help me do one thing and I'll help you do something else. It's as simple as that."

"Simple…right," said Emma dryly, "What can you do to Scott and Jean that I can't do on my own?"

"Well for one, I can call in a few favors from some old friends of mine who can not only hurt them better than you can ever hope to, but I can also give you a few resources in case you want to give seducing Scott another chance."

"And what kind of resources might that be?"

"The exceedingly rare kind that only the daughter of a rich and powerful ambassador could acquire."

Emma didn't want to believe her. Her instinct told her that this woman was just messing with her. But Monet was nothing if not a serious woman. She knew about her background. Xavier had her research her before she was recruited. She was capable of a lot given the resources her family had. They were impressive even by the standards of her own rich family. And if Monet really was serious, then maybe she could provide her with an edge that Scott won't be able to overcome this time around. But she was still skeptical and Monet clearly sensed this.

"I can't go into details, but if you deliver for me and I promise I'll deliver for you. Just imagine it…Jean Grey will suffer just as you suffered. You said it was her fault you got into this mess. Isn't it only fair that she pay some kind of penalty?"

"She should! She must!" said Emma strongly.

"And what about Scott? A man shouldn't be allowed to just break a woman's heart like that. Sure the men in the Hellfire Club are hardened souls, but that doesn't make them immune to justice now does it? Imagine making him pay not just by making him suffer, but by finishing what you started. You can show him just how big a mistake he made by rejecting you. Isn't that worth taking a risk?"

It was tempting, but as angry as Emma was at Scott and Jean she was still cautious.

"That depends. If you do this for me what will I have to do for you?" she asked intently.

"Oh it's nothing too serious, I assure you. But it is something only someone of your power and resolve can do. The catch is that this 'task' as it were, may require you to do things that Lord Xavier wouldn't necessarily approve of."

"That sounds pretty serious to me. I'm mad as hell right now, but not mad enough to betray Charles Xavier."

"Oh you wouldn't be betraying him," Monet assured her, "You would just be doing something he won't like. But don't worry. If you do it right he won't even know you did it. And you'll have a chance to enjoy the sweet satisfaction of watching Scott and Jean suffer for what they did to you."

Emma thought about this for a moment. It sounded like a good deal. She did something for Monet and Monet did something for her. She wanted Scott and Jean to pay for making her go through this heartache again. It wasn't fair that they got to enjoy all the love and happiness she had been denied after they lured her into it. But the idea of going against Xavier in any way didn't sit well. She had few limits in her life, but one of them was to never cross Charles Xavier. Not only was he one of the few men she respected and admired, she knew the kind of punishment he could inflict if she got caught. It was a risky proposition, but she was so angry and bitter at what she just experienced it was hard to turn away from it.

Looking at Monet, she saw just how serious she was about this. She seemed to sense from the beginning that her plan wouldn't work out. Emma, of course, didn't listen but Monet was a smart woman. If she was right about her first plan then that gave her some credibility. But was she credible enough to trust with this very personal matter? The memories of what happened to Shanobi came rushing back to her. Then her mind drifted to what happened with Scott. She struggled between her anger and her reason. In the end, however, her anger won out.

"Are you really sure you can make Scott and Jean pay for my pain?" asked Emma intently.

"As sure as night follows day," said Monet, "So are you in or not?"

"I'm in," said Emma, "But if I sense for once second that you're going to screw me over…"

"Relax, Emma, I know the drill," grinned Monet, "I'm a businesswoman just like you. I know how to deliver. I just need you to deliver first. And above all else, tell no one of this deal."

"Fine, but you keep me in the loop the whole time, understand? I want to know everything!"

"Agreed," said Monet, "And don't worry. You won't have to wait long to get what you want."

Monet extended her hand in a gesture to seal the deal. Emma still hesitated, not taking her eyes off her. But eventually she shook her hand, making it official. It was just as Monet had hoped. Emma's anger proved decisive, just as she hoped. Now she and Mistress Selene had yet another tool they could use. It was the first time the truly manipulated someone like this. And she had to admit she liked it. Mistress Selene would be proud. But she would be even more proud when she got Emma to help them in the most critical hour of her ultimate plan.

* * *

**Sinister's Secret Lab**

Selene had never been a fan of science or technology. In the context of her immortal lifespan it was still new to her. She always found it bland and uninspiring. To her, magic was far more enchanting. While science was about understanding the rules and working within them, magic broke the rules to make the impossible real. But for the first time in her life, Selene found herself appreciating the fruits of science. Ironically enough, it would be science that provided the key to unlocking the vast power she craved.

In Sinister's secret lab across the city, she was paying a surprise visit to her tenuous ally. These past nine months had been painfully long to her. Every waking hour was a test of her patience. While Wanda kept her minions in check, developing them into champions of darkness, she laid low for a while to bide her time and wait for the right moment. She couldn't make her move until all the right pieces were in place. One of those pieces relied heavily on Sinister's secret project to breed a special generation of mutants from which he would construct his new species. This generation, which he called his base, had been developing for the last nine months. They started as small embryos which were partially grown in the wombs of the female pawns, but now they had matured into fully viable infants. And at the moment, Selene was holding one in her arms.

"So beautiful," she said as she looked down at the little bundle of flesh in her arms, "They're so boisterous and healthy. I have to say I'm impressed, Essex. And that is no small feat."

"Glad to hear you appreciate my work," said Sinister, "But do be careful with that child. It just got out of the bio tank."

"Oh don't worry. I'm very good with infants," grinned the Black Queen.

Sinister couldn't help but be a little unnerved. And for him that was quite a feat. Selene was one of the most sadistic and cruel individuals he had ever come across in his 150 years of life. And yet here she was affectionately holding an infant. If he didn't know any better, he would think she was actually being maternal. But it wasn't the kind of maternal nurturing anyone would consider normal. Even when she was being careful with an infant, she still had this sadistic look in her eye as if the infant was a victim in waiting for her wrath.

"So what's the next step?" she asked, not taking her eyes off the infant, "I assume you're not just going to play nursery."

"Not quite," said Sinister, "Unless you want to exercise your maternal instinct."

"Maybe later," grinned Selene.

"Well before you decide, I'll be running a few more critical tests. Once complete, these twelve infants should give me all the information I need to make my new species."

Sinister then walked over to a special refrigeration unit that was chilled with liquid nitrogen. Upon opening the top, he pulled out a special slide of tissue he had preserved years ago.

"But if I am to get the most advanced genetics possible, I need to their mutant genes to be active. Normally, mutant powers do not manifest until puberty. And even if they do, they don't always manifest fully. So I will have to accelerate the process."

"And just how do you plan on doing that?" asked Selene, seeming only vaguely interested.

"With the material provided by this," he said, holding up the slide, "It's a piece of brain tissue I extracted from Remy Lebeau years ago. It contains a unique combination of genetic anomalies that cause mutant powers to grow at an exponential rate. In it's natural state it is dangerous and destructive to the specimen. But for these children I have taken a few precautions."

"You damn well better," said Selene, "I am not keen on giving second chances."

"I'm sure," said Sinister, rolling his eyes as he put the sample away, "But that is where Norman Osborn's goblin gas comes in. You see, Charles originally gave it to me as a means to develop enhancement drugs for his mercenary army. I delivered that, but only in part. On the side, I was able to refine the unique properties of the gas into a stabilizing agent that would not only trigger advanced mutant genes, but accelerate their development."

"So these infants could conceivably be wielding mutant powers even in their young, vulnerable state," said Selene with a strange smile.

"Precisely! And with those powers, I can finally create my new species! And from there, evolution will take its course."

Sinister's voice was last with intent and anticipation. He had been waiting for this for many years and only now in this late hour was it finally within his grasp. It took endless hours of toil and many resources from the Hellfire Club, but he was finally nearing his ultimate goal. His goal, however, was now tied to Selene, as he seemed to be relying on her a great deal to make this happen.

For Selene, she could care less about Sinister's grand vision for a new species. As far as she was concerned, it was just as ridiculous as Xavier's goal or anybody's goal for that matter. While she appreciated some of his tastes for weeding out the weak, his approach was too bland. It wouldn't matter in the long run though. Even his ambitious plans would eventually cede to hers. She had already seen to it.

"Evolution, you say? I suppose I can appreciate that," she said as she set the infant down in a small bed next to the others, "But bear in mind, Essex, you will have to divide your attention between your plan and helping me with mine."

"Yes, that I haven't forgotten," he said bitterly, "And as promised, I will deliver."

"Good, and I expect you to deliver soon," she said, "Now that these infants are ready, I am preparing to move ahead in my plan. And I'll need you to do your part if we're to overcome a significant obstacle."

"Are you referring to Charles Xavier?"

"Can you think of any other?"

Sinister's expression hardened. For a long time he had worked under Xavier's thumb. At first he thought he was the one with the power because he had all the knowledge. But over the years Xavier began pulling the strings more because he had the money, resources, and power he needed to do his work. He longed for the day when he could finally break free and if Selene could give it to him then he was willing to help her.

"I'm sure you've heard, but he's been a little busy lately," said the Black Queen as she continued to admire the sleeping infants, "His little stunt with the Hand has caused quite the ruccous."

"Indeed it has. You wouldn't happen to know anything about that, would you?" said Sinister with a suspicious grin.

"I might, but I'm not telling you," quipped Selene, "So long as he and his pawns are busy, we will position ourselves to strike. We'll have to be swift and cunning. And you'll have to be ready to act as well."

"Just tell me what you need and I'll take care of it," said Sinister, "It is only fair seeing as how you've done such a good job at keeping him off my back these past nine months."

"I'll let you know when the time is right. But be warned, once I move in we'll have to pack up and move our operations to another location. And if you wish to continue your work, you will have to move with us."

"Why do I have to move?" scoffed Sinister, "I have everything I need here in this lab."

"Trust me, it's going to get messy," she said ominously, "You and these little wonders you created will have to get out of here before it all comes together. And if you want continued access to Hellfire's resources, you'll do as I say. Because even with Xavier out of the picture, you still need what he can provide to carry out your plan."

Sinister muttered a curse. This sadistic woman was right. He still needed the Hellfire Club's resources if he was to effectively develop his new creatures. If Xavier was taken out of the picture that would mean Selene was the de facto ruler. It didn't sit well with him, but for his work he was willing to assist her. And if she did try to screw him over, he always had a failsafe.

"Very well," he said, "I'll begin making plans to move my equipment."

"See that you do," said Selene as she affectionately caressed another one of the infants.

"And just out of curiosity, what will you do once Xavier's out of the picture? He does have loyal followers. They may not go down without a fight."

The Black Queen just grinned sadistically. That was one issue that really didn't concern her. If anything, she was looking forward to it. But it was something Sinister didn't need to know the details on. He could never appreciate it anyways. This was still her plan and it was going to go just as she wanted it to go. The time was drawing near. Her ultimate goal was within reach. It was just a matter of weeding out all those who stood in her way.

"Oh don't worry about them," she said ominously, "I know they won't go down easily. But they will fall. Everyone shall fall. And when they do…well, let's just say I have plans!"

* * *

**Up next: The final pieces come into place as Selene prepares to make her move.**

**AN: I hope you're enjoying this part so far. Please remember to review. Send your feedback via email or post a review on the fanfiction website. And if you want to see the uncut version of the Jean/Logan scene or any graphic scene in this series, please check out the adultfanfiction version through a link on my profile. Thank you all very much for reading and I wish everybody the best. Slickboy out.  
**


	6. Falling Apart

**New Blood  
Chapter 6: Falling Apart**

* * *

**Club Hellfire**

A couple weeks had passed since the incident with Jean, Scott, and Emma. For Logan, it seemed like a lifetime. It affected him so deeply and left him questioning many things and reexamining how he felt. It wasn't easy, but it had to be done. In many respects it was good for him. His feelings for Jean had always been a source of confusion and distress. After the incident with Emma he came to realize that maybe they really weren't right for each other and it was best if moved on from those old feelings. But he needed to do it right this time. And the best way he knew to deal with this sort of thing was to sit back, get drunk, and spend a little time at the strip club.

With a glass of his favorite whiskey in hand he sat back in one of the VIP booths with a couple of half naked women serving him new drinks whenever he asked for one. As he drank he watched beautiful women perform provocative and alluring sex acts that titillated and seduced the high paying clientele who watched so intently. As a Hellfire pawn, he got special attention. The women playfully pressed their breasts up against him, teased him, and offered him private shows back stage. He turned them down for now. At the moment he just needed to clear his head. And thankfully, he wouldn't have to do it alone. Raven was sitting next to him.

She was drinking as well, watching with the same intent as him and everybody else. He was glad to have her with him during these strange times. She really helped him get through this. It was mostly her advice that kept him from helping Emma, which given how things turned out would have been much worse. She was also a good drinking partner. She was one of the only girls who could keep up with him. He liked that about her along with so many other things. And now that he was moving on from his feelings for Jean, he could focus on something more important like how much he was going to out-drink Raven.

"So this is how a man deals with realizing he can't have the woman he wants," said Mystique as she held up her glass, "It's clichéd, but understandable."

"Glad you approve, Misty," grinned Logan as he finished his glass, "But I this ain't about dealin' with it. I've already accepted it. Being here is just my way of moving on."

"Well given that you've been practically living here these past few weeks, I say you've done plenty of moving on already."

"Says you," snickered Logan, "It also helps to unwind."

"I'm sure it does."

A scantily dressed woman handed Logan another drink while Raven finished hers. The shape shifter, who had watched this whole ordeal unfold from afar, was amazed at how it unfolded. She didn't expect to get involved, but she did and she found herself relieved in some ways that Logan worked things out with Jean and was trying to move on. She wasn't right for him anyways. And maybe now that he wasn't obsessing over her so much, he would have more time to go out drinking with her.

"So what are you going to do now?" she asked him, "What's going to happen with you and Jean?"

"Well we already cleared the air so the hardest part is over," said Logan, not taking his eyes off the two women going at it on stage, "There's still some stuff we gotta work out. Just because I ain't goin' after her anymore doesn't mean I want to lose her friendship."

"I'm sure that'll be awkward."

"At first, it'll be awkward as hell. But we'll adapt. I like Jeannie and I like what she's done for me. I don't want to avoid her just because nothing happened between us. Plus, she's still great in bed."

"Yeah, can't lose that," said Mystique wryly.

"But humpin' aside, she's one of the few friends I got in this world. And I don't want to lose that."

"I don't blame you," said the shape shifter distantly.

They slammed back more drinks, letting the alcohol do its thing to help relax them. It was such a relief that this whole affair was over with. Logan really did seem to want to move on from it. But Raven still had questions.

"So…is it official? Are you no longer in love with Jean?"

Logan gulped down the rest of his drink and sighed.

"Yeah, I'd say so," he said distantly, "It's taken me all week to wrap my head around it, but I think I finally understand that Jeannie and I just aren't meant to be. Don't get me wrong. What I felt for her was real. But it just wasn't the kind of love I thought it was."

"What do you mean? When did there become more than one kind of love?" asked the shape shifter curiously.

Logan shook his head as he finally looked away from the girls on stage and turned his attention directly to Raven, who really seemed curious.

"You're a merc. You ever hear people talk about combat instinct? You know, that feelin' you have when you know something is there without seeing it?"

"Yeah, but what does that have to do with it?"

"With Jean it felt kind of like that instinct," he explained, "When I was with her I just knew it without really thinking about it. I didn't care that she loved Summers or that she didn't understand me in some ways. I just had an instinct and went with it. But after this whole mess with Emma, I finally started thinking about it. And the more I thought about it, the more I realize that what I felt for her wasn't really love. It was…hell, I don't know what it was."

His gaze grew distant as he looked away, not staring at her or the stage. Raven was silent for a moment and found herself moving in closer to him. It sounded like he just needed to be close to someone and it might be best if it was her than some nameless stripper.

"I think I understand," she told him.

"Thanks," he sighed, "At least one of us does."

"You were caught up in your feelings for her because they felt right. It probably felt pretty good too. But no matter how right it feels or how good it feels, that doesn't make it true. The hard part is realizing it isn't true."

"I hear that," said Logan, taking another drink, "But how do you know so much about this stuff anyways? You ever fall in love with someone you thought was right?"

Raven's expression grew solemn, which pretty much gave it away to Logan. But to her relief, he didn't call her out on it. He just kept looking at her, with a rare aura of understanding that she hadn't felt in a long time.

"I'd…rather not get into that," she told him, "But in my experience, as time goes on you come to accept the truth and move onto your next big heartbreak."

"That sure sounds optimistic," he said dryly, "Is that all I'm in for? More heartbreak?"

"For people like us, it's a curse. We think we know we're in love and we're dead wrong. Then when the real thing comes along, we don't even know its there and it just passes us by."

"You think it's passed us by?"

The alcohol was clearly starting to get to the shape shifter, but she was still coherent enough to muse over it and sigh.

"I don't know about either of us. But given our luck and our line of work, I'm not getting my hopes up."

"I don't blame you," said Logan as he got another drink, "But hey…you never know."

Another silence fell over them as they just sat there staring at each other for a moment. Mystique was clearly a little drunk and Logan was still lost in thought. But they still ended up smiling at each other. As sad as their respective situations seemed, at least they didn't have to deal with it alone. They took comfort in each others' company. And while it may have been the alcohol talking, they may have taken a little more.

"So…" said Logan, finally breaking the awkward silence, "That all the advice you have for me?"

"For now I guess," shrugged Raven, "But mind changing the subject? I think we've dwelled on this enough."

"Sure thing. Part of movin' on is knowing when to stop dwelling on it like an idiot."

"And what better way than to get a couple more rounds and see what we can get these women to do to us backstage," said Raven with a slurred grin.

"You always gotta get dirty when you're drunk," snickered Logan.

"You don't like it find another drinking buddy."

"Did I say I minded? You're my kind of company, Raven."

"Hey, call me Misty. I like it when you call me that," said the shape shifter, now sounding really drunk.

Logan laughed to himself as he poured himself another while Raven summoned a few nearby women to discuss 'business' with. Getting over Jean Grey was hard enough, but Raven Darkholme had a way of making it seem so much easier. Their friendship started here in this very club. It was fitting that this is where they would have such good times together. But as she started leaning over him in a drunken daze, Logan couldn't help but wonder if that was all they shared. But given how he was still getting over Jean Grey, he set that idea aside for now. That was a whole other issue best left for another day.

* * *

**Hellfire Manor Library**

Jean Grey had endured a rough couple of weeks. First there was the attack on Xavier by the Hand. Then there was whole affair with Emma. Then there was that fight she had with Logan over her knowing about the affair in the first place. Needless to say she had been pretty stressed emotionally, but now those messes were over and she was beginning to move on.

After that tumultuous night with Scott, Emma, and Logan she and Scott woke up together and spent much of the morning talking out what had happened. First Scott told her all about what happened with Emma. He gave some fairly graphic descriptions of the 'surprise' she tried to pull on him. Jean fumed at the idea of Emma trying to literally mind wipe him into loving her. But she calmed down when she heard how Scott overcame it. Then she told him about what Logan said. And he got pretty mad too, but when she told him he was giving up on pursuing her he calmed down. He was a little put off when he heard how she had Logan 'distract' her while he was out, but given what he did with Emma it seemed only fair.

After talking through things, they shared a nice moment together. Their love had survived another great challenge, further helping to set aside any lingering concerns about the nature of their open relationship. It felt as though they were finally maturing together and even with other lovers, their relationship could become more stable. It was a good thing too because they would need to support each other. It seemed as though things in the Hellfire Club were becoming increasingly chaotic with the Hand situation. And Jean was doing her part by studying the materials Enchantress gave her.

After a night like last night, she needed something to keep her busy and studying in the library helped a great deal. Rogue was also with her, who was all too curious about what happened with her, Scott, Emma, and Logan.

"So Logan's really giving up the chase, huh?" said Rogue as she lounged about on a nearby couch, "Somehow Ah find that hard to believe."

"Believe it, Rogue. He really is trying to move on," said Jean as she looked over her books, "I think it's good for him. It's good for both of this. This whole mess has been too emotionally draining."

"Heck if Ah know anything about that," she shrugged, "Ah haven't been in a serous relationship since Ah got here, let alone some crazy love triangle."

"Well it is pretty hard to understand for someone who constantly blurs the line between relationship and fuck buddy," joked Jean, "No offence."

"None taken," said Rogue, rolling her eyes, "So what do you think is gonna happen with Emma? You know how temperamental that gal can be. Ah'm sure she'll be holding a grudge from now until doomsday."

"I don't care if she does," said Jean strongly, "She should have known better than to try a stunt like that! She deserves the pain of rejection."

"Doesn't mean she'll take it. This is Emma we're talkin' about here," said Rogue, "Have you even seen her since it happened?"

Jean thought about it for a moment. Since this ordeal happened she had seen Logan, but she hadn't come across Emma at all. She planned to avoid her, but it turned out she didn't have to.

"Actually, I haven't," said Jean, "I haven't even sensed her in the manor. I'm guessing she had to get away or something."

"Guess so, but sooner or later you'll have to confront her," Rogue warned.

"I know," sighed Jean, "But I'd rather it be later."

It was a touchy subject. She and Emma had never been the best of friends. They were practically rivals at times, but as fellow pawns they never considered one another enemies. This incident with Scott could really change that, but for now she didn't want to think about it. She and the rest of the Inner Circle had enough to worry about.

"Fair enough," said Rogue, "What about Logan? You think he can really move on?"

"Oh he definitely can," said Jean confidently, "He's much more emotionally mature than Emma will ever be. Plus he has more friends to lean on. Laura's been a good influence on him."

"So has Mystique," said Rogue wryly, "You notice how he's been hangin' around her lately? They seem to be getting a little close if ya know what I mean."

"That, I don't know about," laughed Jean, "With everything that's been going on lately it's been hard to keep up with these things. But friendship and maturity aside, Logan just needs to get a better handle on the whole concept of love. I don't think he knows what it truly is."

"Who does? But look whose talking," she joked, "Ah still can't believe how you and Scott have made it work all these years with all the sex, power, and temptation. Heck, Ah've been a part of it."

"I know. You've sleep with Scott almost as often as Emma used to," Jean snickered.

"Yeah, Ah know. But that's mah point. Ah sleep with Scott and you sleep with other guys like Logan. And Ah'm sure you enjoy it and so does he. Hell, Ah ain't afraid to admit Ah enjoy it…not that Ah'd pull something like Emma did."

"You won't. You've got too much pride in yourself to do anything Emma does," said Jean bitterly, "But you're right. It always has been a challenge getting around the 'promiscuous' nature of our relationship. But Scott and I have been able to make it work. There have been some bumps, don't get me wrong. But I still love him with all my heart and he loves me back. That's really all that matters."

Rogue wasn't keen on romantic love. She was too much an individual to really explore it. It was probably something she picked up from her mother. But she wasn't so cynical to believe it was impossible, even in the Hellfire Club. That look in Jean's eyes was proof enough.

"Good for you, sugah," grinned Rogue, "Ah'm happy for you, really Ah am."

"Thanks," said Jean with a smile, "I hope one day you'll find love too."

"Nah, Ah don't think it's for meh," she scoffed, "Ah'm too happy keepin' things casual."

"Hey, whatever works for you," Jean shrugged.

The two women shared a good laugh. Rogue may not be the best person to get advice and opinions on love, but she was still a good listener and that's what mattered most to Jean. Friendship was a fickle thing in the Hellfire Club. Yesterdays allies could easily become today's enemies. There were a lot of unsavory characters Jean had to deal with in her time within the Inner Circle, but Rogue wasn't one of them. She was as good a friend as she could have hoped for and in times like this she needed her.

"So what's gonna happen now?" asked Rogue as she lounged about on the couch, "You and Scott gonna take things a bit easier after this mess?"

"I wish I could, but with the Hand becoming such a big problem that's not possible. Plus, I've got this extra training I have to catch up on. Since the whole Emma ordeal I've fallen behind."

"Extra trainin' huh?" sighed Rogue, "That the magic stuff Xavier has you do on the side that you can't tell anyone about, including meh?"

"I'm afraid so," said Jean as she opened up another book Enchantress had given her, "But you know why it has to be that way."

"Yeah, Ah know the drill," she muttered, "Ya can't talk about it because that way when someone like Selene asks, Ah won't have to lie."

"Exactly," affirmed Jean.

"Even for a friend?"

"Come on, Rogue. You know the drill. We all have our little side projects."

"But no one makes as big a deal about it as you," Rogue chided, "Do you keep it from Scott?"

"Well…he's sort of a part of it. I can't really keep it from him," said Jean.

"How the heck does that work?" said Rogue strangely, "Ah don't mean to push ya Jean, but with everybody scheming about everybody lately it's startin' to get to meh."

Jean shifted awkwardly. Rogue was right to be concerned. Everybody was concerned, even Lord Xavier. It wasn't just the Hand or Selene or Sinister. It was a combination of many things. As a student of the mystic arts she could feel it too, the ominous presence of something looming in the near future. But like everyone in the Hellfire Club, she was trying to be prepared. Only her preparations were a little bit different.

"I know what you mean, Rogue," said Jean in an understanding tone, "But it's not going to be like this forever. It will all get sorted out."

"How do you know? Is Lord Xavier telling you something he's not telling everybody else?"

"No, but he's helped me in ways that will help the rest of the Inner Circle. I can't tell you everything, but I can tell you my mystic potential took a big step last night. I can't explain it, but I think my emotions are the key. It's like the more passionate I get, the more this power inside me grows."

"And what exactly is this power? Ain't being a psychic enough?" asked Rogue, who never had much interest in magic.

"That's just it. Being psychic may be just another reason why I can't let go of this," said Jean distantly, "It's like…I don't know, there's something I'm supposed to do with all my power. I just don't know what."

Rogue rose up off the couch and looked at her friend. She looked genuinely convinced that there was more she could aspire to. It was something she always admired about Jean. That drive was part of what made her so good at her role in the Inner Circle. But she wasn't content to just leave things as they were. She had to push herself. And judging by all these books and study materials she was going over, she was pushing herself pretty hard.

"Well whatever it is, Ah hope you find it sugah," said Rogue as she rose up, "And Ah hope everything with Logan and Emma settles down."

"Thanks Rogue," smiled Jean, "If only I could take things as easy as you."

"Guess we all can't be rogues," she shrugged as she got up and headed towards the door.

"So what are you going to do now? Are you going to do extra training with the rest of the pawns?"

"Heck no! Ah figure since Pietro's healed up Ah'll pay him a vist," she said with a sultry grin, "Somebody's gotta take the edge off this place and Ah figure Ah might as well help."

"You think sex helps more than lending that extra muscle of yours?" teased Jean.

"You stick to what you're good at, sugah. Ah'll stick to what Ah'm good at."

Jean shook her head and smiled as Rogue walked off, leaving her with her books. There really were times she wished she could take things as casually as Rogue. But she had her role and she had to do what was best for her and the Inner Circle. Enchantress once told her that all great mystics follow their passion. And that seemed to apply even beyond the mystic arts. Rogue had her own way of doing things and she had hers. This ordeal with Emma, Logan, and Scott helped remind her of that. And after last night she would need all the spiritual and emotional strength she could muster.

As she turned the pages in her mentor's old book she came across another image of the mythical bird, Phoenix. It always sent chills up and down her spine, but it wasn't out of fear or uncertainty. It was out of anticipation. It reminded her of those fateful dreams she had as a little girl, soaring through space consumed by fire and passion. Perhaps she would get a chance to know that power one day. And perhaps that power would allow her to prove Selene and everyone who doubted her wrong.

* * *

**Downtown Manhattan – Remy's Apartment**

Remy Lebeau was going on his fourth hour of nonstop laboring. Since early this morning he had been at it, carrying out the necessary 'renovations' to his upscale downtown apartment that Xavier and Moria ordered. His usually clean and well-kempt quarters were littered with tools and assorted hardware, some of which were no less uncommon than anything from a local hardware store and some a bit more exotic. But it was all for a purpose and he wasn't going it alone.

"Hey Stormy! Bring Remy dat monkey wrench from the other room," he called out from under his sink, "Some of these bolts is a bit rusted!"

"Hold on, I'm still working on the bathroom!" she called out from across the apartment, "I swear, this would go a lot quicker if you cleaned out your cabinets every once in a while!"

"I got better things to do than clean," he replied innocently, "Just get that wrench. I'm almost done."

Ororo sighed and got up from what she was doing to get Remy what he needed. She wiped the sweat off her brow as she had been working just as hard as him these past few hours. Normally, hard work like this didn't bother her. Being a professional thief, she was used to it. But these circumstances were unlike anything she or Remy had ever dealt with before. This wasn't just some task for a job or some preliminary planning. This was major and the stakes were much higher.

After getting the wrench and handing it to Remy, Ororo found herself taking a break and leaning back against the kitchen counter. She watched as her partner in crime and frequent lover finished up. Nine months of secret planning and side-projects were nearing an end. It was a relief in some ways because it felt as though work was all she had been doing lately. Between this job and the normal jobs Xavier had her do there was little time in between. She understood why it had to be this way and she trusted Xavier in the utmost, but everything she was doing was on a scale unlike anything she had ever been a part of. Being a master thief, she never got too deeply involved in Hellfire affairs. Now such involvement seemed unavoidable.

"There! That ought to do it," grunted Remy as he made the final adjustment.

"Are we officially done in here?" asked Ororo as she watched the Cajun emerge from under the sink.

"I think so. We just gotta get the last few parts from Deadpool and we'll be ready."

"Good, because if the last call I got from Xavier is any indication we may have to use all this stuff sooner rather than later."

"With all the work we put into it, we better," said Remy with a coy grin.

"Be serious, Remy," the African woman scorned, "He said Selene and Sinister have been unusually quiet lately. And with those two that is never a good thing. Either they're getting ready to pounce or they're doing something so secret that even the Hellfire spies can't pick up on it."

"Dang, tough choice," said the Cajun, "But so long as the man knows what he's doing, Remy ain't worried."

"I wish I could say the same," said Ororo distantly.

Ororo hugged her shoulders and turned away. She started walking back to the bathroom where she had yet to finish the job she was working on. It was her usual reaction to being in a torn state of mind. Remy had been working with her long enough to pick up on it. She was normally very keen on keeping her emotional and mental state to herself. But around him she let her guard down a little. It sort of came with being partners for this long. And as such Remy couldn't keep himself from going after her.

"Hey, you gonna be okay, cherè?" he said, putting a hand on her shoulder and stopping her before she got to the bathroom.

Ororo stopped, knowing full well something like this was probably going to happen. It was annoying in many ways, but rather than push him away she found herself talk it out.

"Remy, how long have we been working together?" she asked him.

"4 years, nine months, and fifteen days," he answered.

"You've been keeping track?"

"Of course. Haven't you?" said the Cajun light heartedly.

Ororo laughed somewhat and turned around to face him.

"No, but I'm glad one of us is. I only ask because I think it's worth pointing out that you and I have been working together long enough to know how 'different' it is working for the Hellfire Club. It's not like stealing for the mob or being a pickpocket. It's not even like being a real professional. There are entirely different sets of rules that are nearly impossible to follow. And to make it even more challenging, the rules are always changing."

"But we've kept up, haven't we?" retorted Remy, "Just look at everything we've gained. How many other thieves out there can say they've been this successful for this long?"

"I'm not arguing that we haven't kept up. But that's my point. By keeping up with everything we're getting in pretty deep. You know as well as I do that one of the cardinal rules of thieving is to never get too involved with any one organization. I know we've been exclusive to the Hellfire Club for years now, but before this mess we never got too deeply involved in their affairs. Now look at what we're doing to our apartments. Can you honestly tell me it doesn't have you the least bit concerned?"

Ororo had a point. She was always good at thinking about the big picture, which was something Remy had always lacked. It was a distressing thought in many ways. He hadn't been this caught up in an organization since he was in the Thieves Guild and he remembered vividly how badly that turned out. Working this closely with Charles Xavier and becoming this big a part of his plans was a major gamble. They knew that the second they agreed to them. But unlike other plans, this wasn't just about money or loyalty. It was about survival.

"Stormy, Remy is a lot of things, but he ain't stupid," he said, putting on a more serious demeanor, "I know how big this is. And I know we be playin' without a full deck of cards."

"Do you think making card puns will reassure me of that?" said Ororo dryly.

"Does Remy look like he's tryin' to be funny?" said the Cajun, maintaining his serious tone.

He then moved in closer and put both hands on her shoulders in an affectionate gesture.

"I'll prove to you that Remy understands," he told her, "Years ago, back when I was in the Thieves Guild, my perè Jean Luc got shot three times in a foolhardy raid on an Assassins stronghold. He tried to steal one of their most prized relics, one that was said to give the Assassins a mystical edge."

"I didn't know the Guilds were into magic," said Ororo, taking him a little more seriously now.

"Why do you think Remy wasn't surprised when you told him about the power the Hellfire Club wields?" he retorted, "And we could have used that magic on that night. I literally had to drag ma perè out of that den and take him to a safe house where I listened to him cry out in pain for two hours while they pried the bullets out of him. I was fifteen at the time and that was the first time I ever saw any of my family suffer like that."

Ororo was silent for a moment. She looked away from him before looking him in the eye again. She could see the haunted look that such an experience surely left. She knew that look well from personal experience. But that wasn't all.

"That must have been terrible," she said to him.

"It was," said Remy, "But that wasn't what I remember most about it. What always stuck out was what he told me after it was over."

"Why? What did he tell you?" Ororo asked curiously.

Remy paused for a moment, collecting himself as the difficult memories came rushing back to him. He didn't usually share this with anybody, but Ororo was one few individuals in the world he trusted enough to tell her.

"He told me that it didn't matter that the job was a failure. It didn't even matter that we didn't steal their relic. To him, all that mattered was upholding the so called 'honor of thieves.' Even if it meant going head first into a job that hurt us not nearly as much as it hurt the Assassins, he said honor was more important. And usually, I would have believed him. But then I asked him 'What's so honorable about being so damned foolhardy?' And he just laughed it off as if I was makin' a joke, took out a cigarette, and said 'You worry too much, son.'"

Ororo digested that for a moment. It was somewhat ironic because she was kind of in the same position Remy was that day with his father. He rarely ever talked about any events in his past, but when he did he was always very serious about them. It made him vulnerable in a way most thieves would never dare. But Remy Lebeau wasn't most thieves.

"Is that why you moved away from them? Because you questioned their merits like that?" Ororo asked him.

"Non," he answered, "It wasn't Remy's questioning that got him out. It was doubt. Because after that night, I started really doubting everything Jean Luc had taught me about thieving and loyalty. And doubt in a thieves guild is a dangerous thing. It can get you killed and it can make you a lot of enemies. I was lucky enough to just be ignored. And that didn't bother me so long as I didn't have too get too involved again. That's when the headaches started. And that's also where you came in. You and the Hellfire Club got me out while the rest of the guilds went to hell."

Remy's expression lightened a bit and he smiled at her again, still remembering vividly that day he first encountered her and got a second chance. She smiled back, returning his gestures with one of her own. She could tell this wasn't easy for him, but it was all for a good reason.

"The point Remy's making with this is…I know how tough it is to start questioning things you never usually question before. Xavier and the Hellfire Club have been good to us and now we're caught up with them in a way that could really bite us."

"So what do we do?" she asked him, "You moved away from the Thieves Guild. Does that mean we should move away from this?"

"Non, because this is different than the Thieves Guild, the Assassins Guild, or any thieving organization for that matter," said Remy strongly, "This ain't about glorified vengeance or meaningless battles in the streets. This is about survival and trusting people in people you know won't turn their back on you. Because if any one of us walks away, we all suffer. But if we stand together, the payoff could be bigger than any thief could ever hope to steal."

It was a grave predicament. They were relying on each other as much as they were relying on Xavier. There were never any guarantees in this line of work. Someone's word was only as strong as the trust they had in them. It was all they really had to go on in dealing with an organization notorious for betrayal. It was daunting, yet comforting at the same time. Ororo hadn't placed her trust in many people over the years. Now she would need that trust more than ever and so would Remy.

The African thief smiled warmly and placed her hands on Remy's, who was still holding onto her shoulders. He smiled back, assuring him that she took his words to heart.

"You really trust me that much to take another risk like this?" she asked him.

"You know the old saying. Once bitten, twice shy," he told her, "Remy's trusted people before, but never like he's trusted you."

"Then I suppose it's only fair that I trust you as well. We've helped each other this far, haven't we?"

"So why not go a little further?" said Remy with a sly grin.

"Was that serious or another one of your playful remarks?" said Ororo coyly.

"Can it be both?"

"I don't know. But at this point I suppose it doesn't really matter."

They both smiled again and slowly moved in close for a kiss. It seemed a fitting way to reassure one another of the trust they would have to have in one another if they were to pull this off. Their lips met and they felt the comforting warmth that they had become so fond of. It was a nice shift given the tension that had been lingering since Xavier first came to them. It was also a nice reminder of what they were working to save. There were still many boundaries they hadn't crossed in the years they had been working together and this affair with the Hellfire Club may finally give them a good reason to. But they had to get through it first.

The kiss, which started as a simple gesture, began to deepen. Remy's hands slipped from her shoulder down to her hips and Ororo was beginning to kiss harder, letting her body press up against his. It was beginning to get heated when suddenly, the door burst open and an annoyingly familiar voice halted their moment.

"Honey! I'm home! And I bought the napalm!" said Deadpool as he stormed inside proudly holding up a couple of black briefcases.

Then the merc with a mouth, who was in street clothes, saw the position Remy and Ororo were in and snickered.

"Am I interrupting something?" he snickered, "Don't stop on account of me! I don't mind watching! Heck, I'll join in!"

"Nice to see you too, Wade," muttered Remy as he and Ororo reluctantly parted, "Just get the stuff out. We'll show you where it needs to go."

"Ah, you're no fun!" scoffed Deadpool.

Remy and Ororo rolled their eyes as they got back to work. As much as they hated being interrupted during such a pleasant moment, it was probably a good thing Deadpool arrived when he did. They had to stay focused if they were to get this job done as soon as possible. Chances were they would need to be ready sooner rather than later. Xavier trusted them enough to bring them in on this plan and they weren't going to let him down. He trusted them and they trusted him back. And they would all need that trust in order to get through this.

* * *

**Academy of Tomorrow**

"Peter? Peter! Are you still with me?" said the concerned voice of Kitty Pryde.

"Yes, I'm fine, Kayta," said Piotr in a low tone as he walked with her closely, "I'm just…anxious, that's all."

"That's putting it mildly," she said, "Try and take a few deep breaths. It'll be okay. I'm sure it's nothing serious."

"I hope you're right, Katya. But I just have a bad feeling, that's all."

Kitty tried to boost his spirits with a warm smile. She took his hand and leaned in closer to him, holding onto his muscular arms as they made their way down the halls of the Academy of Tomorrow. It helped a little, earning her a slight smile from the Russian mutant. But he was still clearly distressed. He always was when it involved his sister, Illyana.

An hour ago Piotr got a call from Ameila, who ran the Academy, saying Illyana had fallen ill. She was running a fever, she wasn't eating, and she was sweating uncontrollably. But those weren't the worst symptoms. What made it really unusual was that these symptoms were occurring in conjunction with a very bad nightmare, one that left her screaming and crying out as if something or someone was torturing her. As soon as Piotr heard about that he dropped what he was doing and ran over to the Academy. Kitty had been with him at the time and offered to tag along. At first he resisted since she had a lesson with Moria scheduled and this was a family affair. But she wouldn't let him do this alone. And he figured he might need her support for something like this.

When they reached the door to Illyana's room, Ameila was waiting. She looked worried, but not gravely. And when she saw Piotr she let out a sigh of relief.

"Peter, I'm glad you're here," she told him, "I'm sorry for calling you like this in the middle of the day. I'm sure you're busy, but…"

"Do not apologize, Amelia. Please just tell me what's wrong with my sister," said the Russian mutant strongly.

Ameila sighed and turned towards the door.

"I think you should see for yourself," she told him.

Ameila took a deep breath and led Piotr into her room. But as soon as she opened the door they were all met with an ominous feeling. First off, they noticed it was very hot in the room. It was like walking into a sauna. But near as they could tell there was no source of heating. They also noticed how all the curtains had been draped over the windows and how every light was flickering. And at the center of it all was Illyana, who was lying on top of her bed wearing an oversized white shirt thrashing about, crying out in agony as something unseen was tormenting her.

"Ahhhhhhhhhhh! No! NO! NOOOOO! THE FIRE! THE POWER!" she howled in a voice that didn't sound human.

"Illyana!" exclaimed Piotr as he ran over towards her.

Suddenly, one of the lamps shot up from her night stand and was flung right at him by an unseen force. Piotr didn't have time metal up so Kitty ran in and phased it through him.

"Whoa! I think we need an exorcist!" said Kitty as she stuck close to Piotr.

"No! We just need to wake her up!" said Piotr in a determined tone.

Piotr formed his metal outer skin, armoring himself against any other projectiles. He then braved the heat and the pained cries of his sister and grabbed hold of her by the shoulders. Using his imposing strength, Piotr tried to hold her down. But she kept thrashing and despite her petite stature, which was just a bit less than Kitty's, she showed some force.

"ARRRGGHHHHH! STOP! YOU MUST STOP THE DARKNESS!" Illyana howled in an inhuman voice.

"Illyana?! Illyana, wake up! It's me, your brother!" Piotr exclaimed.

"NO! YOU MUST LET GO! OR YOU WILL BURN! ALL WILL BURN!"

"Illyana, snap out of it! You're having a nightmare! Wake up! Fight it! Please…"

She continued struggling, but the desperate urging of her brother's strong tone seemed to reach the young woman. She continued to groan and howl, speaking in a tone that was a far cry from the sweet accented voice she usually spoke with. It was like she was talking through some sort of medium. She kept on struggling, testing Piotr's strength more than he expected. Even Kitty and Amelia were amazed at how someone who could lift a dump truck was struggling against a girl of Illyana's stature. But strength aside, she seemed to be calming down under her brother's touch.

"That's it, Illyana. Come back to me," he said in a calmer tone, "I'm here now."

"Piotr…"

She sounded familiar this time. Then she opened her eyes, but to the shock of Piotr, Kitty, and Amelia they were glowing bright yellow. It was an ominous feeling. They had all been around magic in the Hellfire Club long enough to know it when they saw it. And there was something very macabre about those eyes. But like the howling, the glowing didn't last. It soon faded and the young Russian girl let out a pained gasp as she finally emerged from her nightmare.

"Ugh!" she groaned as she collapsed in Piotr's arms.

"Shh…it's okay, Snowflake. It's okay," said Piotr softly as he reverted to his flesh form.

"Piotr…I don't feel very good," she groaned.

"You'll be okay. Trust me. Just take deep breaths and relax," said Kitty, who came in to help, offering Illyana a comforting smile.

"Who…who are you?" she asked.

"A very close friend of your brothers," she answered with a smile, "I promised I'd come here to help."

Illyana smiled lightly as she clung to her brother's embrace. She hadn't had a chance to meet many of his friends from the Hellfire Club. But she was glad he brought someone along for this, even if the circumstances were somewhat grim.

While Kitty and Amelia stood back and let out a sigh of relief, Piotr let his sister go a bit and wiped some of the cold sweat off her brow. She still looked pretty sick. After a nightmare like that nobody could blame her. But this didn't seem like a normal flu or something. It felt like something much worse and Piotr still had that bad feeling.

"Illyana…what happened?" asked Piotr, "What was happening to you? You were crying and screaming in a voice that I barely recognized."

Illyana hugged her shoulders and looked away. Even her brother, who she loved and trusted with all her heart, couldn't understand something like this.

"I don't know," she said, "I really don't remember."

"Are you sure?" he asked intently, "Surely there is something that…"

"There was nothing, big brother," said the young Russian girl in a troubled tone, "I really don't know what happened. These past few weeks I haven't been feeling well. And it all started with these…these dreams."

"Dreams? What kind of dreams?"

"I don't know!" she cried, "They're so confusing and hard! I see fire, demons, monsters, and these dark eyes that just keep staring at me! I don't know why or what it means, but the more I have it the more I feel it! It's as if something is…"

But before she could go on she broke down again. Piotr caught her, allowing her to cry into his chest. He was at an utter loss. He had seen plenty of haunting things at the Hellfire Club. He had seen death, magic, and deviance on a scale he never imagined. It hardened him to many things, but no amount of darkness could harden him to the cries of his sister. It was part of what helped keep him grounded in this difficult life and when she was in pain like this, he was in pain as well.

Piotr didn't say a word. He just sat there and hugged her, letting her cling to him. He turned towards Kitty, who cast him a sympathetic look. She didn't have any siblings so she didn't know what it was like to deal with this. But her presence helped keep him calm. He was tempted to ask more in order to uncover more about these dreams. But Kitty knowingly shook her head, telling him that now wasn't the time. And despite his reservations, he listened and focused his attention on comforting his sister.

As Piotr helped Illyana get through this, Kitty gave them some space and turned towards Amelia. She looked relieved to see Illyana awake and well again, but she still had a hardened look of concern.

"What's going on? Do you have any idea what's wrong with her?" Kitty asked.

"I wish I did," sighed Amelia, "But it's a bit outside my expertise, I'm afraid. I deal in mutants, not magic. And this has all the signs of something mystical involved."

"Yeah, the demon voice and flying lamp is proof enough of that. But what kind of magic? Have you talked to Xavier about this?"

"No, he's been preoccupied to say the least. And like she said it just started a few weeks ago," said Amelia, "At first I thought she just caught the flu or food poisoning. But when her eyes started glowing I grew more concerned."

"Well isn't there some kind of magic doctor or something you can call? Surely, Xavier has people who deal in stuff like this."

"I've made only one call so far to an old acquaintance of mine, Baron Mordu. He's a bit of an ass, but based on what I told him he says symptoms like this are definitely mystical based. He wouldn't fly in to see for himself, but he was pretty confident it wasn't some sort of demonic possession or curse."

"And you trust him?" said Kitty suspiciously.

"Believe me, Miss Pryde, the people I deal with are not dumb enough to lead us on. They know the consequences if they do."

Kitty didn't need to be convinced of that. She knew how tough the Hellfire Club was when it came to getting the truth out of people. She knew because she had been a part of it. But that only made this matter more complicated.

"So if it isn't some normal magic stuff (which I'm not sure is possible), what could it be?"

"Like I said, magic is not my expertise," said Amelia, "But I will keep an eye on her. And I will find answers."

"How? Are you going to bring her to Mistress Selene?" asked Kitty warily.

"Believe me, that's the last thing I'd want to do. Those nightmares she has are bad enough," muttered Amelia, "But I'll figure something out. I'll make some more calls and see what I can come up with. Because magic or not, something about this is definitely off. Illyana has always been a special case."

"She has? How do you figure?" asked Kitty.

Amelia paused for a moment as she watched the young Russian girl, who was quickly developing into a young woman. She spent a lot of time with her these past five years or so. A lot had changed. She dealt with many young mutants in her life, but Illyana was someone she had a special affinity for. And in her line of work that was rare.

"I can't put it into words, but let's just say Illyana Rasputin has always had a special way about her. She's charming and tough, just like her brother. But it's how she handles her abilities that makes her truly remarkable."

"Her abilities? You mean her teleporting?"

"Yes…teleporting," said Amelia, saying that word with a bit of uncertainty, "Some young mutants take to their powers as any other skill or talent. Some just exercise it as if it were a muscle. Others just take it for granted. But Illyana is different. She rarely uses her abilities, but when she does she used them with a level of care and reservation I've never seen before. It's as if she believes her powers are fragile and subconsciously holds herself back from her true potential."

"Maybe that's the cause of all this," Kitty suggested, "Holding powers back has been known to do that. I've seen it."

"It's possible," Amelia conceded, "But I'm just not sure."

Amelia and Kitty fell silent as Piotr settled Illyana down. She was still weak and tired, despite having just woken up. She also looked as though she was going to throw up or something so Piotr brought over a trash can just in case. He tended to her with such care, which was surprising given some of the things Kitty had seen him do. She saw him literally rip a man's head off. She saw him walk into a building and literally tear it down with his bear hands with people inside it. He was no pushover. He was as tough as they came and yet he cared so much for his sister. Everything about that made her smile.

"I don't want to go back to sleep," said Illyana weakly.

"You need to rest, Illyana," Piotr coaxed, "If it helps, I'll stay as long as I can. If you start having another nightmare, I'll be here to wake you up."

"But what if it keeps getting worse?" she dreaded, "What if it gets so bad that you can't wake me up?"

"It won't get that bad. I won't let it," said the Russian mutant strongly, "I'll always be there to bring you back. You have my word, Snowflake."

His promise brought a smile to her face as he tucked her in and sat by her bedside. She was still sickly, but beautiful in his eyes. He then turned towards Kitty and Amelia.

"She'll be okay. I'll stay with her," he said.

"Good, I'll leave you then," said Amelia, "If you need anything, give me a call. I'll keep looking into this. I'll let you know if I find anything."

"Thank you," said Piotr graciously, "Please find out soon. I hate seeing her like this."

"I'll do what I can. You have my word."

Piotr nodded in affirmation and Ameila nodded back. She then left him to care for his sister while she went off to make more calls. It was probably going to be a long, tedious task. But given she was now bound to this girl and her family, she would get the answers she promised. She just had a bad feeling of where they might lead her.

After she was gone Kitty lingered. She walked up to Piotr and gave him a comforting hug, which helped set his mind at ease a bit. This man had gone out of his way for her since the day he recruited her. It was only fitting that she do the same for him. There was so much about him she came to admire. Moments like this only reinforced that point. It was all the more proof to her that she may be falling for this man.

"You're a good brother, Piotr," she told him.

"Thank you, Katya," he said in a low tone, "I just hope that's enough to help her through this."

"You'll find a way. You always do," she assured him.

"I hope so. But I still have a bad feeling about this."

"Yeah…I'm beginning to get that feeling too," said Kitty, thinking back to what Amelia told her, "But she's still in the best of hands."

Piotr placed his hand on hers, taking what comfort from her words as he could. He wished he had Kitty's spirit. She was so much stronger than anybody ever gave her credit for. It was part of what gave her the strength to do so well in the Hellfire Club. Xavier saw it and so did he. During times like this they all had to be strong, but sometimes that wasn't enough. Sometimes others had to be stronger. Kitty was someone who could do that when he couldn't. It was just one of the many things he admired about her and it meant more to him than he could ever articulate. He had a feeling both he and Illyana would need her strength because as is often the case in the Hellfire Club, things get worse before they get better.

* * *

**Betsy's Quarters**

Elizabeth Braddock's life had taken many bad turns lately. At one point she was an aspiring model in rich family with a superhero brother whom she helped out with her mutant abilities. Then it started going downhill. She got into a fight with the Hand, had her body destroyed, and her mind placed in the body of an assassin who she mind wiped. Not that the body was bad or anything, but she ended up being a slave to the Hand. She had to take up the role of an assassin and killer and when she resisted, the Hand tormented her with magic and physical abuse that damaged her ability to exercise free will. It was pretty bad. There was nobody in the Hand she ever met that she came close to liking, except for Elektra. But after the Hand leader, Kirigi, was assassinated it got even worse.

The death of Kirigi was supposed to be a good thing. Kirigi was the man who forced her into this body in the first place. She thought that since he was dead, maybe now she could escape. But they kept a firm hold on her and had her lead the attack against Xavier. She figured they knew she wanted out and sent her on a suicide mission so they wouldn't have to put up with her anymore. And she wouldn't have minded being killed in the heat of battle. But the Hellfire Club had other ideas.

Now here she was, lying in her restricted quarters, having just undergone more 'conditioning' from Selene. It was becoming routine. Ever since that woman broke her will to resist she had been a docile little pet for the Inner Circle to exploit. She didn't say much or do much beyond what she was told. Her humanity and free will were hanging by a thread. She was beginning to forget what it meant to be in control of herself. But inside, she was still fuming. She was tired of being used, abused, and manipulated. But the Hellfire Club's hold on her was strong and for now there was nothing she could do.

Her days were long and arduous. So far much of her job involved working double shifts at Club Hellfire. There she stripped naked on a stage and let gangs of wealthy men do whatever they wanted to her for a price. Some of the things she did were so vile and deviant that even the normal girls who worked there who weren't part of the Inner Circle were put off. But she had no choice. She had to do it because the other pawns still working the clubs kept a close eye on her. When she wasn't doing sex work she was undergoing more 'conditioning' by Selene and Charles Xavier. Selene used magic in ways that even the Hand could never muster. She used her in rituals meant not only to punish her, but to ensure her loyalty. They were often brutal, especially when she got that apprentice of hers, Wanda, involved. Charles Xavier wasn't nearly as bad. The worst he did was probe her mind harshly to get whatever secrets of the Hand he could. He also wanted to use her as an assassin, which she wouldn't mind since it would be no different than the Hand. But she still resented it. And yet she endured it. She had no choice in the matter.

As she lay in her bed, wearing only the purple thong she was allowed to wear after sessions Selene, she mused on her sorry state. Ever since the first fight with the Hand, all she ever did was fail herself and anybody she worked for. And more failure led to more suffering. How much more of this would she have to endure? What could she possibly do to make it all stop? It was hard to think when her humanity and free will was damaged at best. But so long as she had it there was still a ray of hope.

"Betsy? Betsy, I know you're in there. Please open the door," came a voice.

Betsy rose up and turned towards her door. She didn't recognize the voice as coming from Selene or Xavier. It sounded like someone else. Obediently, she got up from her bed and walked over to the door. When she opened it, she saw Warren standing before her.

"Hello Betsy. You're looking well," said Warren, admiring her topless form, "Would you mind letting me in?"

"Sure," said Betsy indifferently as she let him inside her room.

Warren entered, laughing somewhat at the dilapidated state of her room. Betsy's room wasn't like those of the other pawns. It was smaller, less opulent, and it had no windows. It still had carpeting, closets, and a decent sized bed, but it still carried the ambience of a fancy prison cell. She didn't seem to mind it though. Knowing the Hand, it was probably a step up from what she used to have.

Once Betsy closed the door he casually removed his fancy Victorian blazer and set it aside. He then turned towards Betsy, who still had an indifferent look as she always did. She didn't talk much, which was okay with him. Most of the other female pawns talked too much anyways. And he didn't need her to talk much for this.

"Mistress Selene told me how some your 'sessions' with her have been going," he began, "She says you don't talk back anymore. You don't even yell or scream that much anymore."

"Is that a problem?" she asked.

"No, it's just unusual," said Warren with a bemused grin, "Given what Mistress Selene is capable of I'm a bit surprised you're in as good a state as you are. You're every bit as tough as I would expect for someone trained by the Hand."

Betsy's face hardened at the mention of the Hand, but she didn't say anything. She hated the Hellfire Club for what they were doing to her, but her hatred for the Hand remained stronger given how they started this mess.

"I have to say, you intrigue me, Miss Braddock. And given my attention span when it comes to women, that's quite a feat," said Warren as he moved in closer to her, "Tell me, how do our accommodations at the Hellfire Club compare to that of the Hand? And go ahead and be honest. I promise I won't tell."

Betsy studied him for a moment, making sure he was being truthful. It was always hard with people in the Hellfire Club, but near as she could tell this man meant what he said.

"They're a bit better," she answered, "The Hand had me live out of a cell not much bigger than my closet and the bed I slept in wasn't much of a bed. The only activity they ever let me do was train and read books. And when I went out on a mission, there was always someone watching me ready to take me out if I slipped up."

"Since you're still alive I'll assume you never did," said Warren, "What about Club Hellfire? How has your new role there been going?"

"I get through it," she shrugged, "Men pay me to take my clothes off and fuck them. That's all there is to it. The Hand never had me do anything like that. They're a bit repressive in such matters."

"Given the uniform they had you wear I'm surprised," joked Warren.

"Some men did come after me though. It never got too far though. At least here they give me drugs and magic so I can still enjoy it."

"Yes, we feel girls do better in their jobs when they can get something out of it," smirked Warren, "So it doesn't bother you?"

"No, not really," she said, her tone still indifferent.

"And the sessions with Selene? You don't seem to be responding much to them either?"

"She's done all she wants to do. She broke my will. She uses me for her little side-activities. It's no big deal."

"So that doesn't bother you either?"

"I've been used to a point where nothing really bothers me anymore," said Betsy, "At least Selene uses pleasure in addition to pain. The Hand just used pain. But like I said, it doesn't really bother me."

Warren's sinister smile widened. He found himself moving in closer to the half naked woman. She didn't back away or cringe at his imposing form. She didn't even look intimidated. She was tougher than her mental state would indicate. Either Mistress Selene conditioned that out of her as well or there was something else at work.

"You see, that's what I find so intriguing," he told her, "You've been manipulated and abused to a point that you say it doesn't bother you. And I'm not entirely sure that's the case. Tell me, if being used doesn't bother you so much anymore what does? Because surely there's something. Otherwise you wouldn't have that look in your eye."

Betsy paused for a moment. The man was perceptive for someone without telepathy. She wasn't sure what to say given the wrong answer could only lead to more suffering. But at this point she was beyond caring.

"Failure," she told him.

"Failure?" said Warren, surprised by her answer, "Why failure?"

Betsy looked away for a moment, but remained stern. She couldn't afford to show weakness with this man.

"Because…it was failure that led me to be captured by the Hand. It was failure that led me to become their puppet. And it was failure that led me here. The more I fail, the more a puppet I become. And given where I'm at now, I'm not sure I can afford to fail again."

Warren thought about that for a moment. It was an unusual answer from an unusual woman. But it made sense to him. If nothing else truly mattered after so much of her will had been broken, the one thing that would still stand out would be how it began. It started with failure and led her down this path. It was a dark and dangerous path, but one he knew well. And he found himself relating to it in ways he didn't often relate.

"I suppose I can understand that," he told her, "Failure is somewhat a sore subject for me too. It was failure that led me here in the first place. I failed my father and my family. I didn't live up to their expectations. But as you can see, I got a second chance and I've become so much stronger. I've found that as bad as failing can be, it can spur you into bigger and better things."

Warren began walking around the half naked Betsy, admiring her now even more than he had before. But now it wasn't just her beautiful, shapely body he admired. It was something more that he hadn't found in any of the other women he came across.

"Tell me, Betsy, what would you do if you were given the chance to succeed where you once failed," he asked.

"What do you mean?" she inquired.

"Say you agreed to follow along with us on a little plan of ours. And say that plan would lead you to rectifying your first failure…the one that led you to wear you are now."

"You mean the one with the Hand?" she surmised.

"Yes," said Warren with a smile of intent, "Imagine being able to turn the tide. Imagine you could help make them the puppets and put them through what they did to you. Wouldn't that be fulfilling? Wouldn't that be something worth bothering about?"

Despite her broken state of mind, a part of that did resonate with Betsy. She longed for a chance to get back at the Hand. Not a day went by when she didn't wish she could just strike them down in cold blood. They deserved it for everything they put her through. But he wasn't sure what this would mean for her. She got the feeling Warren was implying more than he let on. But she didn't have the capacity to dwell on it.

"I would appreciate any chance at getting back at them," she said strongly, "But why are you offering this to me? Is it something for Selene?"

"Not quite," he grinned as he reached forth and caressed her face, "This is more personal, you see. I've been serving Mistress Selene for years. She instilled in me the same darkness that now flows through you. And each time I embrace that darkness bigger and better things follow. But one thing that has yet to follow is a certain level of…companionship."

Warren then cupped her chin with one hand and trailed his other hand down her voluptuous curves. His gestures were soft yet commanding, a key sign of the darkness in his eyes. It made Betsy uneasy in some ways, but it intrigued her in others.

"Betsy, I see in you a woman who I can relate to…someone who might be willing to take part in certain plans Mistress Selene is preparing. She's already promised those who assist her with treasures beyond description. You could enjoy some of those treasures as well, provided you agree to work with us…specifically at my side."

It was a tempting offer and one Betsy didn't have to think too hard about. She didn't want to be relegated to any more degrading servitude. She may not have much free will or spirit left in her, but she would be damned if whatever humanity remained would go to waste. She had been brought into this world of darkness and Selene made her embrace it. She might as well see where it took her, even if it meant risking another failure.

"What do you need me to do?" she answered intently.

Warren smiled affectionately. This woman was more than he expected. She was quiet, obedient, and tough. She would fit nicely into Selene's plans and his as well.

"Come with me and Mistress Selene to Osaka tomorrow. There you'll get a taste of what we're preparing. There, you'll have a chance to prove yourself. And if it goes along well, you'll have other chances. You just have to trust me and the words of Mistress Selene. Do you think you can do that?"

"Yes. I can do whatever you need me to do," she said without hesitation.

"Always good to hear, especially from a beautiful woman," he smiled, "But understand that once you begin, there's no turning back. You are in this with me until the very end."

"I understand," she said.

Warren was pleased. This was turning out better than he could have hoped. Mistress Selene gave the others a chance at side-projects. Monet had her little plan with Emma and Wanda had her little affair with Kurt. His chance at some extra bonus was long overdue. And he believed that this woman was just what he was looking for.

"Then it's settled. You are officially on the side of darkness," he said proudly, "And since you're going to be at my side through this, why don't we get a little more…acquainted?"

Warren began unbuttoning his shirt, indicating to her what he had in mind. Her expression didn't change as she watched him slip out of his shirt, allowing his wings to spring free so that he was now shirtless with his manly upper body bare for her to see. Such a sight stirred her libido. All those sex spells Selene and Jean had cast on her in order to help her with sessions and her sex work at Club Hellfire gave her a highly charged and sensitive sex drive. Like many other women in the Hellfire Club, she had acquired a heavy appetite for pleasure. And because of the darkness inside her, that insatiable feeling was difficult to quench.

"Okay Mr. Worthington. Let's do this," she said in a deeper tone.

"Please, call me Warren," he said as he moved in closer, "As long as we're to be relating so well, we might as well be on a first name basis."

"Very well…Warren."

Betsy then casually slid out of her thong, leaving her completely naked. Warren smiled at such a sight. She looked so beautiful with her well-toned athletic frame that had just the right amount of voluptuous curves. She was the epitome of strength and beauty, a combination that he found utterly perfect.

"Beautiful…" he said in a deep lustful tone as he traced his hands over her breasts and down onto her hips.

He then pulled her into his powerful arms and captured her lips in a deep, hungry kiss. Betsy didn't resist, giving into her basic desires and kissing back with equal lust and longing. He was aggressive and fervent, shoving his tongue into her mouth and squeezing her womanly frame. It was typical of anyone touched by darkness. He started leading her to the bed,stepping out of his shoes in the process. Betsy obediently followed him, matching his every lustful gesture along the way.

Once at the side of the bed, Warren stopped and parted from her. Then in a dominating manner he pushed her down onto the floor so that she was on her knees. He then flashed her a lustful look as if to say "you know what to do." Betsy didn't need to respond and quickly went to work, undoing his pants and tugging them down to the floor. She then proceeded to orally please him, earning a series of pleasured grunts and gasps from him. She was nice and thorogh, just as she had been taught. Warren's expression seethed with lust and desire for this woman. She was just the companion he wanted for his dark journey. She teased him until he reached orgasm, which only further stirred his dark lust.

"Yeah…you like that, don't you?" he grinned with lustful intent, "Want me to fuck you now?"

"Yes," Betsy answered intently.

"Say you want me to fuck you."

"I want you to fuck me."

Grinning hungrily, Warren pulled her up from the floor. He then lifted her off the floor and laid her down onto her bed, stepping out of his pants in the process. Now looming over her in a dominating manner, he used his wings to encase her in a feathery grip. She seemed to really like it too. Her face was awash with lust and intense desire. As was often the case with those who were conditioned with Selene's sex magic, her rational higher functions had shut down and her only drive now was to fuck.

With a firm grip on the naked Betsy Braddock, Warren positioned himself over her and unleashed his lust on her. Betsy closed her eyes while Warren set the pace, working thier bodies into a heated sexual rhythm. It was intoxicating and overwhelming, just as the darkness was when it first overtook her. Warren saw it in her eyes and grunted hungrily as he had his way with her. Betsy clung to him and gasped blissfully. His ripped manly flesh glided against her womanly skin smoothly and his wings fluttered, the feathers further teasing her naked form. It added a special exotic touch to the feeling, making it all the more intense for Betsy. It wasn't like the usual rough feeling she got when she slept with other men. This had something extra to it and it drove her wild with pleasure.

Warren continued to seeth with intent as he drove her to a mind-numbing orgasm. It left her reeling, further driving her into the darkness. Warren grinned at the look on her face as he got his peak too. She looked so lost in the ecstasy. She was dazed yet intent, the signs of true darkness emanating from her naked being. She hadn't completely crossed over as he and the others had, but she was well on her way.

"That's right, Betsy…feel the darkness with me," he seethed, "Let's feel it together!"

Betsy opened her eyes and looked at him with a distant gaze. She was now lost in a state of lustful hunger, clinging to her winged lover longing for more. Warren was more than happy to oblige, ready to ravage her with darkness in his own way.

It was rough yet mutual, intense yet subtle. It was the kind of dark sexual deviance that Warren knew so well and Betsy was just getting in to. It became chaotic, their naked bodies rolling around in a heated fury Betsy lost count of how many orgasms she had, but Warren kept going. The winged mutant seethed with every grunt while Betsy remained dazed in a world of dark bliss. Warren did most of the work and she just held on, embracing every blissful feeling that came her way. Warren relished being in control, having this woman in a way others didn't. It was more exciting for him and the beginning of something that he hoped would grow.

They kept going at it until Betsy was on the verge of passing out. The dark pleasure fully consumed her as Warren led her to one last round of orgasm. This one sent her over the edge, filling her with a powerful feeling that in a sense tied her to this man. She could sense it even as he enjoyed his last orgasm as well. She was officially in his world and was going to follow him wherever it led her.

When the feeling passed they parted and relaxed onto the bed. Her body almost went limp and the dazed look on her face still lingered. The darkness had worked her over well and Warren liked how easy she was making it for him. For a moment he just laid there next to her, grinned down at her in a dominating manner as he affectionately caressed her naked body. This was just what he wanted, a submissive companion with the same taste for darkness as him. With Mistress Selene's plan drawing ever near, he yearned for someone to share the triumph with. And this woman who had already been broken was perfect.

"Just think, Betsy…this is just the beginning," he whispered softly, "Soon, everybody will know true darkness. And you and me…we'll relish it together with Mistress Selene. It will be beautiful. All you have to do is stand by me and it will all come together."

Betsy didn't say a word. She just gazed back at him and nodded before slipping away into blissful unconsciousness. From the Hand to the Hellfire Club, she had been used and manipulated. She had been broken down, bearing little free will or identity. The Hand just used her, but the Hellfire Club consumed her. They filled her with this darkness that now dominated her being. And now Warren was giving her a chance to follow that darkness with him. At this point she didn't really have a choice. She was going to see this through now. Hopefully he would deliver on his promises of vengeance for her. And hopefully she wouldn't fail this time. Because darkness or no darkness, one more failure was not an option.

* * *

**Osaka, Japan – Seven Months Ago**

Selene's commanding cries of euphoria echoed through the palace bedroom of the Hand's top leader, Kirigi. They were both naked lying in his spacious bed having sex. They had been going at it for over two hours now. Selene was seething with sexual fervor, driven by her insatiable dark lusts. It was a lust that even Kirigi, the proud leader of the Hand, found difficult to keep up with. But he was in such a heightened state of ecstasy he could care less.

Selene's eyes glowed dark red as they both reached another powerful climax. Kirigi's expression was flushed with euphoria as he got his release and Selene got hers. He let the dominating woman keep him in her tight hold. As the leader of the Hand, he was not prone to be very submissive but for pleasure like this he was willing to make an exception.

When the feeling passed, Selene rose up off him and crawled atop his naked body. Her slithering, dominating aura was so sensual and seductive. Even the greatest of warriors would be foolish not to be seduced by her. She watched with satisfaction as the man relished the ecstasy. She had him right where she wanted him. She never thought she would end up making a deal like this with an organization that had been a thorn in Hellfire's side for quite some time. But she was getting ready to make a move and she needed an organization like the Hand to aid her.

"Enjoying yourself, Kirigi?" she said seductively, "Does my little down payment satisfy you?"

"You have satisfied many things, Selene," said the powerful assassin, "But this definitely helps make your case."

"Does that mean you agree to my little deal?" she said, "I'll help the Hand attack Xavier and in return you'll help me take control of his network."

"It sounds like a fair trade, my lady. We both benefit greatly, but you understand why I am skeptical of any aid from the Hellfire Club."

"Oh come now, Kirigi. Don't be so judgmental," purred Selene as she playfully traced her fingernails down his chest, "The Hand has been harassed not by the Hellfire Club, but by the people who run it. Before it was Sebastian Shaw. Then it was Charles Xavier. Almost every other member of the Inner Circle, myself included, had nothing to do with moving in on your operations."

"I'm willing to believe that, but you must also convince me that you are trustworthy," he said, "After all, I have heard of your reputation. You've been known to leave people a little…dismembered to say the least."

Selene grinned sadistically. This man was no fool, but he was still a man. He was bound by his honor and by his desires. And she was going to play off both.

"I won't deny my reputation, but consider this…I would be losing more by betraying the Hand than I would if I kept our deal. And have I not proven by now that I am not a woman who likes to make things harder on myself?"

"In a manner of speaking," grinned Kirigi, "But say I do agree. What happens if one of us is discovered? We would both be in quite a predicament."

"Agreed," said Selene, "Which is why I've planned a few fail-safes. Should something happen to you, I will make sure my forces keep the Hand together. Should something happen to me, you will be able to do the same. So no matter what happens to us, Charles Xavier still loses."

"And how can I be sure you'll handle my organization effectively?" he asked intently.

"I've handled you, haven't I? Does that not by default make me capable of handling your organization?"

Before Kirigi could respond, Selene moved in for another kiss. When he felt her lips against his, his body tensed and his concerns eased. Selene's eyes flashed red again and this time so did his. In him he felt her darkness penetrate his being. He had resisted at first, but after everything she just did to him it was impossible to hold back. He didn't know if he could trust this woman or if this was in the best interests of the Hand. All he knew was the dark ecstasy this woman had filled him with. And that turned out to be decisive.

"So then…are we in agreement?" she purred hungrily.

"Yes…for now at least," he said, "But I might need a little more 'proof' from you."

"Oh don't you worry about that, dear Kirigi," grinned the Black Queen, "The night is young. I'll be doing all the 'proving' you'll need."

Selene tightened her hold on him again and began a new round of heated sexual fervor. For the rest of the night she would work this man over. She would make sure he was completely under her spell. Then when the time was right she would move in and eliminate him. It wasn't Kirigi she needed. It was the manpower and role of the Hand. With their assassins and their appreciation for magic, she could make her move against Xavier and take her plan to the next step. But before that could happen she needed to start a little tension. And with the Hand now on her side she would have plenty of opportunities to do so. Charles Xavier didn't stand a chance. But for now, she just focused on enjoying herself and making this man yet another pawn in her master plan.

* * *

**Osaka, Japan – Present**

The once powerful organization known as the Hand was a shell of its former self. Since the assassination of their leader, Kirigi, and the loss of some of their top assassins such as Psylocke and Elektra, they had been in a state of disarray. The order that traced it's routes back to 16th century Japan was in danger of losing it's pride and prestige. At one point it was one of the most feared organizations in the underworld of crime and secret societies. Now it's power had waned considerably. And it was largely due to one rival, the Hellfire Club.

For decades the Hellfire Club and the Hand had never been particularly friendly with one another. The Hand saw the Hellfire Club as dishonorable collection of greedy businessmen who were all spiritually dead inside. Their philosophy of doing anything to gain more power and influence contrasted heavily with theirs, which emphasized the honor and prestige of the Hand above all else. There was also no unity to the Hellfire Club. They were all staunch individualists. The Hand thought differently. Like a hand itself, each finger is capable of moving on its own, but when clenched together in a fist they all become strong. That was the essence of their philosophy, but it was a philosophy that was losing its steam.

Since the death of Kirigi, the Hand had been waging a full blown war against the Hellfire Club. Their legions of loyal assassins and mystics, many of whom were mind controlled and conditioned to be absolutely obedient, were bent on fighting them to the death to avenge their treachery. The chief target was Charles Xavier, the man who they all believed was entirely responsible for the death of their leader. But they were not about to just grant him the mercy of death. That would be too easy. They had to strike at the heart of his organization and make him lose what he valued most just as they had. And so far, they were doing a good job of striking at him.

It wasn't easy, but they had an edge. The Hand wasn't the kind of organization that just blindly attacked their enemies. They used strategy, cunning, and stealth. To do this they needed intelligence, guidance, and above all information to carry out their attacks. That was no easy in the Hellfire Club because Charles Xavier kept a close watch on everybody. But thankfully, they got help from a very reliable source…one that was closer to Xavier than he realized.

At the moment, two of the Hand's top lieutenants overlooked a large, spacious training area where over a hundred masked ninjas were practicing and sparring. They were all poised for their next mission, ready to die in the name of the Hand. The two lieutenants, despite the grim circumstances, were optimistic of their battle.

"I heard our latest mission in Sacramento did not succeed completely," said one of the lieutenants.

"Yes, but it did not fail either," he replied, "We hit their precious buildings. We caused them extensive damage that they cannot just fix by writing a check. We are stretching their resources and their limits. So long as the Hand continues to apply pressure in the necessary areas, Charles Xavier will eventually start to feel the loss," said the other.

"Let us hope we can strike him soon. Our manpower may be great, but the Hellfire Club's is greater."

"Do not worry about that. Our new leader has provided us with all the information we need to hit them where it counts. And soon, I'm told, we will be able to strike not just Xavier, but all those who oppose us."

"Speaking of the new leader," said the lieutenant, "I hear she is paying us a visit. Do you have any idea why?"

"No, but I can only assume it is important. She would not have come if it was not necessary."

"I would hope so. I still have reservations about trusting her so. But Lord Kirigi made it clear that should something happen to him, this is the one who will lead us to victory over our enemies!"

The two men watched as their Hand assassins continued to work and train. It was a beautiful sight, watching them all strive to be better warriors for the Hand. Their unity, obedience, and honor was part of what made them strong. But that strength was always being tested and Charles Xavier would regret the day he pushed them to this.

As they were watching, a door behind them opened and several of the Hand's elite guards allowed three ominous figures to enter. One was Psylocke, the former Hand assassin who still bore a strong connection to them for her role in the first attempt on Xavier. Standing close by her was Warren Worthington III, the shrewd businessman whose company had provided them some of the resources they needed to compensate for the ones Charles Xavier froze. And last but not least was the leader Kirigi himself ordained as the one who would lead them all to salvation. They knew her only as the Empress. But others knew her as Selene.

"My Empress, welcome to our sanctuary," said one of the top lieutenants with a respectful bow.

"Please, dispense with the formalities," said Selene, "I have little time to work with and I don't want to waste it with meaningless gestures."

"Of course," said the other lieutenant respectfully, "Please, tell us what the next step is. Our forces have been faring well against Charles Xavier's network."

"Thanks no doubt to the intelligence that I have provided," said Selene proudly, "But rest assured, your forces are doing little more than annoying Charles. That alone isn't going to take him down."

"Then what must we do? Why are we continuing to sacrifice our brethren?" asked the second lieutenant anxiously.

"Watch your choice of words, pal. You don't know who you're talking to," warned Warren.

"Easy Warren, he's right to be concerned," said Selene with a snide grin, "But don't worry. Your warriors are not dying in vain. Even though they are not doing severe damage to Charles's operations, they are forcing him to stretch his resources and divert his attention from more important matters. Soon he will be unable to fight back. And I assure you we'll hit him hard."

The two lieutenants grinned at the notion. Charles Xavier had thumbed their nose at them for too long. It was time that he and his dishonorable ways faced the wrath of the Hand. He and others like him could not be allowed to escape their vengeance.

"It sounds like a most ambitious and cunning plan, Empress," said the lieutenant, "And once we take Xavier down, the Hand can be restored to its former glory! We will be able to take back that which is rightfully ours!"

Then a sinister grin formed on the Black Queen's face. This was always her favorite part of her little visits.

"Yes, about that," she said with a sneaky grin, "There has been a change in plans."

"What?!" exclaimed the lieutenants.

"Yes, it seems as though this whole idea of helping the Hand get back their territory in exchange for getting an enemy of mine out of the way isn't doing it for me anymore. I've decided to go a different route."

The two lieutenants were shocked and enraged. Nobody went back on a deal made with the Hand, especially one made directly with their former leader, Kirigi. This woman had already been allowed enough control over their operations. For her to go back now was not only a grave insult, but a great dishonor to the spirit of the Hand.

"You…you cannot be serious!" exclaimed one of the lieutenants.

"Trust me, I'm serious," she said in a deathly cold tone, "As far as I'm concerned your little Hand henchmen are nothing more than tools now. And as such, I need them to further my own plans. And since Kirigi gave me the necessary access to manage the Hand after his untimely death, I have every right to change the rules."

That was it. The two lieutenants drew their swords in a fit of rage. It was insulting enough with Charles Xavier moved in on their territory. But for this woman to be in their midst and just take control over them after making a strong deal was beyond insulting. It was treason and they were not about to let it stand.

"You will NOT dishonor the Hand!" yelled the lieutenant as he gripped his blade firmly, "I will cut you down for your insolence!"

"Don't be so sure about that," grinned Selene, "Psylocke…"

Before the two lieutenants could strike, the purple haired mutant lunged into action. She formed two psionic blades and each hand and leapt in front of her Mistress. Then with lightning reflexes, which ironically enough were instilled in her by the Hand, she plunged both blades into the chests of the two men. It happened so fast they were not able to get any words out before they choked on their own blood. Their bodies fell limp to the floor and then in a show of pent up defiance, Psylocke kicked them over the banister and send them crashing down to the floor below where the Hand assassins were training.

"You have no idea how long I've been waiting to do that," said Betsy in a daze.

"Feels good doesn't it?" grinned Warren, walking up behind her with a playful gesture.

"It feels very good," she said, "What about the rest of the Hand's leadership? Will I get to kill them too?"

"All in due time, Betsy," said Selene as she walked up to the edge, "The Hand's leadership is still with me, thanks to my little deal I made with Kirigi."

"He gave you all this control? You must have worked him over pretty good," grinned Warren.

"You have no idea," said the Black Queen sadistically, "But enough about the Hand. This is about my plan."

Down below the sudden impact of two bodies of their top lieutenants caused quite a stir. The usually stoic and focused assassins stopped their sparing to walk up to the bodies and observe what happened. They all moved carefully, but assertively. Then they their attention was turned to the woman now standing over them from several floors up. They all recognized her as the Empress of the Hand, the de facto leader in wake of the death of their previous leader. They didn't know what happened, but as loyal Hand assassins they were compelled to comply.

"Attention all assassins, killers, and thugs!" Selene proclaimed, "The time for small talk is over! You and your brethren have been fighting hard against the forces of Charles Xavier, the man responsible for dishonoring your organization! But it isn't hard enough! The time to deliver the final blow is at hand! And by the power left to me by the late honorable Kirigi, that blow shall be delivered through my plan! Let anyone who opposes step forth and face my wrath!"

Nobody dared step forward. This woman may not have been cut from the same honorable cloth as Kirigi, but she was a vicious, powerful woman who would not hesitate to strike even the slightest hints of disobedience. But if Kirigi willed it before his death, who were they to argue? So long as they had a chance to destroy the man who dishonored their organization, they would do whatever this woman needed them to do.

Betsy couldn't help but smile. It was kind of nice seeing all those big, tough Hand assassins bow to the Black Queen. For so long she never had any power over any of them. They always controlled her and now she was part of the machine controlling them. It was sweet, vengeful irony. Warren saw the look on her face and smiled with her. The pleasure she took in controlling her former enemies was apparent. She had long endured the pain and humiliation of ailing everybody she tried to serve. This time she wouldn't fail anybody.

"Good," said Selene with a sadistic grin, "Now let's get to work! The beginning of the end for Charles Xavier starts now!"

* * *

**Up next: Selene and Xavier have been positioning themselves to strike since the beginning. Now they enter the final step.**

**AN: I hope you're all enjoying the story. Please remember to review this and my other chapters if you get a chance. Post your feedback on the fanfiction website or send it to me via email. Either way is fine. And if you want to see the uncut version of the Betsy/Warren scene, please check out the adultfanfiction version through a link on my profile. Thank you all for reading and I wish everyone the best. Slickboy out.  
**


	7. Gathering Forces

**New Blood  
Chapter 7: Gathering Forces**

* * *

**Sacramento – X-Industrial Banking Hub**

"LONG LIVE THE HAND!"

Those were the words that echoed through the shipping yards of one of X-Industrial and by default the Hellfire Club's most important centers for business on the west coast. As soon as those words were uttered, a series of bombs and explosives went off all around the surrounding on the outskirts of the business district. It blew up series of secure buildings that included office space, shipping areas, utility hubs, and most importantly it partially blew up the main office facility in the heart of the business center that ran it all. Smoke and flames soon consumed the area, shattering what would otherwise be a peaceful early morning in Central California.

"Oh these guys HAVE to die!" exclaimed Alex as he and a team of pawns let the counter assault.

"I agree. Any idea where to start?" said Julian Keller, who was alongside him ready to fight.

"I say we start with the guys wearing the masks and go from there!"

"Oh yeah, that be REAL smart, Alex!" said Jubilee.

It was an overly simplistic plan, but it was the best they could do at the moment. They weren't planning to be attacked like this. This wasn't supposed to be an assault. They were here with Rahne and Sage and a few others to investigate some spy activity that she had been investigating. It wasn't supposed to turn into such a mess, but once again the Hand got the drop on them and they were now fighting to pay them back for it.

Along for support were Julian, Tabitha, Sam, Alex, Lorna, Jubilee, and Kitty. They were present mainly for support. Since the more experienced pawns like Piotr, Warpath, Scott, and Rogue were busy dealing with more direct threats from the Hand they needed the younger pawns to step up. Even though they weren't as well-trained or well-equipped to handle such an assault, they came along mainly for the experience. They weren't supposed to have to deal with a full blown attack, but the Hand had other ideas.

They had all been helping Sage in the main building when the attack first happened. The bombs outside went off first, shattering the windows through the top floor offices. Then just as Sage ordered the Hellfire guard to investigate, a bomb went off in the building and nearly took it down. Had it not been for Julian and Lorna's combined effort, the whole thing probably would have collapsed. But less than a minute after the bombs went off, a series of unmarked vans and trucks pulled up to the central building and a group of Hand assassins stormed the area. It was a concentrated, well-coordinated attack on the nerve center of this area. And it was up to the young pawns to fight them off.

"Augh! Why does this happen on EVERY assignment I go on?!" exclaimed Kitty as she phased through a hail of bullets.

"Maybe you should start carrying around more good-luck charms!" said Tabitha as she came in and hurled a handful of small cherry bombs at the masked assassins, sending much of them back to take cover.

"Maybe you should stop making excuses and just step it up already!" grunted Alex, who was firing aimlessly at anything that even looked like a Hand assassin.

"Ahh!" grunted Sam, who got grazed in the arm by Alex's blast, "Maybe you should watch your aim!"

It was chaos. The Hand assassins descended in the central lobby of the building and were preparing what looked like another bomb. This time it was much bigger than the one they tried to use earlier. That one only took out the right side of the building. This one looked as though was going to take this building out and at least several surrounding buildings. They couldn't let it go off. But the hand wasn't going to make it easy for them. They were already swarming around the area, doing whatever they could to protect it.

Julian, Tabitha, Kitty, Sam, Alex, Lorna, and Jubilee attacked hard, tapping into that ruthless, hard hitting training that they had been conditioned into over the past year. Where they once used to hesitate and question, they now did without a second thought. They tore into the attacking assassins, doing whatever they could to take them out and get to the bomb. Their drive was admirable, but their youth was still evident. Up top near the main office, Rahne could see it as she fought off a couple of assassins trying to sneak into the executive suite.

"Hrrahhhhhhhh" she roared, her wolf form now taking its most feral state, "Ye picked the wrong people to attack!"

Using her animal reflexes, Rahne leapt out of the way and dodged several sword attacks from a couple of masked assassins. They then tried to attack her with their katanas. One managed to cut her right on the left shoulder, but that only got her more enraged. Seething with animal rage, Rahne lunged at the man who struck her and clawed him right in the throat. Blood gushed out from a major vain, causing the hapless assassin to choke on his own blood as he fell dead. Undeterred, the second assassin tried to attack her from behind. But she sensed him coming and did an acrobatic back flip in mid air, landing right behind him where she was able to grab him by the neck and snap it with a swift jerk.

Once the body fell limp, she looked back down over the banister overlooking the lobby. She saw the other pawns struggling to get to the bomb. At the rate they were going they wouldn't get to it in time. Grunting to herself she ran back into the executive office where Sage was typing furiously on her laptop.

"How much longer do ye need, Sage?! That bomb could go off at any minute!"

"Five minutes, minimum," she said in her usual stoic tone, "I need to export all the data in our systems here back to X-Industrial. If we lose it or if it falls into the wrong hands, the Inner Circle could be in big trouble."

"Five minutes may be pushing it!"

"Then you had better get down there and help them because I'm not leaving until I finish this."

Rahne groaned to herself. If only she could shut off her emotions like Sage then maybe she wouldn't be so worked up about this. She was a bounty hunter and a spy, not a mercenary or a field operative. This was a bit outside her expertise, but she couldn't afford to be picky. She understood the importance of this fight just as much as Sage did.

Leaving Sage to her work, Rahne ran out back into the main core of the building. She looked back down into the lobby to see more assassins hoarding around the center where the bomb was. Tabitha, Alex, and Jubilee were taking cover behind some stone poles firing wildly into them. It didn't do much good because they were taking cover as well behind fountains and barriers they brought with them. Sam, Kitty, Julian, and Lorna were trying to be a bit more strategic. Julian and Lorna were hovering over them, trying to get a shot at the bomb while Sam tried to fly Kitty in close to phase through it. But the Hand assassins bravely fought back. They had these strange pulse force weapons that were constantly keeping anybody from flying in close. The assassins weren't overly concerned with killing them. They were just trying to buy enough time to set the bomb off.

"This is going to get messy," Rahne mused.

Knowing she couldn't stand by while this fight went on, she saw an opening and leapt off the rail and into a hail of gunfire.

"Julian, guide me in!" she ordered.

"You've got to be kidding me," said the young mutant as he watched Rahne leap fearlessly over the edge from six floors above.

"Julian!" exclaimed Lorna, who saw it as well.

"I'm on it! I see her! Sheesh! Just cover me!" he exclaimed.

Julian used his telekinesis to shield and guide Rahne into a crowd of garrisoned assassins who had taken cover behind a reception desk. The feral woman let out a wolf-like roar as her claws grew and her teeth shifted into fangs as she descended onto the waiting assassins. They tried in vain to shoot her, but Julian's telekinesis protected her and before they could regroup she landed and began tearing into them. She killed two of them immediately, gashing their necks with her claws. Two more tried to shoot her, but she was able to use the dead body of one of the men she killed as a shield. She then threw it into them and pounced, clawing one of them in the heart and using the katana of one of the dead assassins to kill the other. Then with that same katana she cut off the hands of two more assassins who tried to shoot her ended them as well with a couple of lethal stabs. It effectively cleared out one of their garrisons and left them a window to work with, but some of the pawns weren't taking advantage of it.

"Sam! Try and get Kitty in there again! Stop that bomb!" Rahne ordered.

"Ah'm on it!" affirmed Sam, who was holding up on the second floor, "Ready for another round, Kitty?"

"Like I have a choice," she muttered, "Just don't crash if you miss this time!"

"No promises."

Kitty grabbed onto Sam's neck and held on tight. They could both see down below how the three Hand engineers, distinguished by their white uniforms, were putting the finishing touches on the bomb. They looked close to activating it. Time was definitely running out.

"Here we go!" said Sam as she went into his blast form.

With Kitty in hand he took to the air, heading straight for the center where the bomb was. With one of the garrisons down it looked like they had a clear shot. But just as they were taking off, Alex and Tabitha were beginning an attack of their own.

From behind one of the stone columns, they had been pinned down. A team of heavily armed Hand assassins kept firing on them with pulse rifles, not allowing them to get a clear shot at the bomb. It frustrated and angered Alex, who saw this as a chance to prove he could succeed without his brother's leadership. Since Rahne took out one of the garrisons, the rate of fire was down and he saw a window to move in and attack. So despite Sam and Kitty's attack, he prepared his own assault.

"I'm going in! Cover me you two!" he said to Tabitha and Jubilee.

"Are you crazy?! They'll turn you into paint!" exclaimed Jubilee.

"Fine, then don't cover me!" grunted Alex, "Somebody's gotta stop that bomb! And if you guys won't do it then I will!"

"It's your funeral, Daredevil," said Tabitha, who seemed indifferent to it all, "I'll clear the way."

"Tabitha don't!" exclaimed Jubilee, "We're supposed to…"

"You know how I feel about rules, Jubes. Sometimes you just gotta let it go," she grinned.

Jubilee didn't have time to stop them. Tabitha formed several dozen large energy balls in her hands and aimlessly threw them into the crowd of assassins in the center area. This momentarily stopped their assault, forcing them to take cover. And as the cherry bombs exploded, Alex came running out from his cover and took aim at the bomb. It was tantamount to a suicide charge, but he didn't care. He wanted to be the one to end this and nobody was going to take it from him. But just as he began firing concentrated cosmic blasts, Sam and Kitty were flying in. And their timing couldn't have been worse.

"Alex!?!" exclaimed Sam as he neared his path of aim.

"I got it!" said Alex strongly, ignoring Sam's pleas.

"Oh shit…" was all Rahne could say.

Before Sam could drop Kitty in, he flew head first into a blast from Alex that missed its target by a few inches. The blast completely knocked him off his balance and off course. As a result, he and Kitty crashed into a small section of the barrier the Hand assassins had set up. They mangled several masked assassins as they crashed through, but they kept on going into Sam was finally stopped by the wall near the elevator.

"Ahhhhhhhh!" he exclaimed as he held onto Kitty and prepared for impact.

The resulting crash nearly threw everything off. Sam, even though he was invulnerable when he was blasting, took the brunt end of the impact. He did his best to keep Kitty from getting hurt, but she got some of the impact as well and now had a nasty looking bruise on her forehead. It wasn't as bad as the last injury she had in Hong Kong, but it still hurt. Needless to say, it didn't bode well for stopping the bomb. Despite Sam taking out some of the assassins, the engineers never stopped working and were about to activate the bomb. And Alex was now getting the brunt end of the attack.

"Damn you, Alex!" grunted Rahne as she leapt out and tried to assist.

"Somebody cover me already!" Alex exclaimed.

"What do you think we're trying to do?!" exclaimed Julian.

Then one of the assassins that Alex thought he hit rose up and shot at him with his hand gun. This time Alex was unable to avoid it. The bullet hit him right in the knee, causing him to howl out in pain.

"Augh!"

"Alex!" exclaimed Lorna as she rushed to his aid.

Lorna descended next to him and put up an extra powerful magnetic shield, pushing her powers to the limit. The assassins kept firing their guns and pulse rifles at her, concentrating their attack on her. But Lorna deflected them, grunting hard to hold them back. As she defended Alex, Julian and Rahne tried to move in and take them out while they were firing at Alex. Rahne took on some of the assassins, using the katanas she stole to stab and decapitate several assassins. Julian covered her, using some extra telekinetic force to take down the barricades and expose the rest of the assassins. They were ready to take them out it seemed. Then one of the engineers said the last thing they wanted to hear.

"I've done it! The bomb is active! 30 seconds and counting!"

"Oh hell," groaned Jubilee from behind the pillar.

"So what now?" said Tabitha, now finally beginning to get concerned.

"I have no idea. Just shoot it I guess!"

It seemed the only option at this point, but they were too far away to get a good shot in. The assassins didn't even try to escape. They just stayed put, defending the bomb until it went off. They were as dedicated to the Hand as could be and would sacrifice themselves to deliver this blow to the Hellfire Club. It was almost admirable, but not to the pawns.

"Somebody take out that fucking bomb!" exclaimed Rahne as a couple of assassins crowded around her to keep from getting to the bomb.

"I'm trying! I can't get a shot in!" exclaimed Julian, who was guarding against a few concentrated pulse blasts.

"Me…neither!" grunted Lorna, who was still trying to defend Alex.

Tabitha and Jubilee didn't look like they were having much luck either. They were stuck behind the pillar and Sam and Kitty were out of it. Time was running out and something had to be done. Alex, who was still clutching his bloody knee, struggled to get up. He saw how Lorna was defending him, keeping more pullets and pulse blasts from hitting him. He couldn't help but smiled a little. At least one person was always there to defend him. But she couldn't keep this up. He had to take the bomb out. And if nobody else was going to do it then he would have to finish the job.

Grunting through the pain, Alex rose up and summoned as much radiant energy as he could. His eyes started glowing and his expression seethed with the rage and drive that the Hellfire Club and Selene had instilled in him. He then took aim and prepared to fire.

"Everybody get down!" he called out.

Then in a bright burst of energy, Alex fired right at the refrigerator sized bomb. The blast was so intense the assassins standing in the way were literally blown apart and two of the three engineers who activated it were haplessly eviscerated. As for the bomb itself, it tore through the upper half of the bomb, causing sparks and flames to burst out from it. Then in a bright burst, the bomb short circuited and exploded. But only part of it went off, causing a forceful blast that took out most of the remaining assassins, knocked Lorna and Julian back to the ground, and shattered anything made of glass in the area.

Julian, Lorna, and Rahne were covered in dust and assorted body parts from the assassins as they got up from the floor. Jubilee and Tabitha were fairly unscratched since they took cover behind the stone pillar. Sam and Kitty didn't get hit much as well since they had been a good distance away from it all. But Sam was still woozy. And Alex, despite his wounded knee, was able to get up with Lorna's help. When everybody's ears stopped ringing and the smoke cleared, they got up and saw the extent of the damage. It was a punishing blast, but not as destructive as it could have been.

There were still a few assassins left alive, but barely. Rahne finished them off, stabbing two and stepping on the neck of another. While she was glad the ordeal was over, she was fuming. And all her anger was now directed towards Alex Summers.

"You foolish son of a bitch!" she roared as she grabbed Alex by the collar and held him within inches of her wolfish face, "Are you trying to get us all killed?! Did you want them to blow us all to Hell?!"

"Say it don't spray it, lady," groaned Alex, wiping his face off.

"You little shit! I should peel your fucking skin off for what you just did!"

"Hey, take it easy, Rahne!" said Lorna, who had gathered her strength and was now pushing the feral woman back, "He stopped the bomb, didn't he?"

"By blowing it up?!" she exclaimed.

"Better a little boom than a big boom," said Tabitha, who emerged with Jubilee from behind the pillar.

"That's not the point! If you hadn't been so pig-headed Sam could have gotten Kitty in to short it out without any need to blow it up! What were you thinking?!"

"I was thinking about stopping the damn bomb, okay?!" Alex shot back, "And guess what? I did! I know it didn't go exactly as you wanted, but in attacks like these we don't have time to think, plan, or be fancy! We just have to act! And if you want to keep yelling at me, fine! But it's over now so either finish yelling or get off my back about it!"

Rahne growled again, angrily seething at the younger Summers brother. But she along with the other pawns were in no mood to belabor the point. Fighting off the Hand and surviving an explosion was hard enough. She was content to take this out on him later.

"Damn, my ears are still ringing," groaned Julian as he rubbed his head.

"To hell with your ears! My head is killing me!" groaned Kitty as she helped Sam stay upright.

"Hold on, I got you," said Jubilee as she came over to help, "Are you guys going to be okay?"

"Ah've survived worse impacts," groaned Sam, "At least Ah took a few of them with me."

"Always looking on the bright side," she smiled, "Guess one of us has to."

That got a smile out of Sam despite his condition. He then looked over at Alex, who was leaning on Lorna for support. He made it clear he blamed him for his little crash. But Alex didn't seem to care. All that mattered was he stopped the bomb. It was something he could rub in his brother's face. He could care less about messing things up.

But even though she defended him, Lorna scorned him as well.

"That really was a foolish stunt you pulled, Alex," said Lorna.

"Yeah, yeah, chew me out about it like everybody else," he muttered, wincing as he tried to stand on his bad knee.

"I'm not trying to chew you out!" she said in frustration, "You're starting to worry me, Alex. When did you stop thinking and start becoming so brash? Is something wrong?"

Alex looked into the eyes of the only person he had really connected with since he arrived. There was a lot of concern in her eyes. She really did care about him. It was a look that always used to reach him, but ever since Selene filled him with this darkness it just didn't strike him as it used to. It wasn't like he forgotten his connection with her. It just didn't take precedence anymore.

"Nothing's wrong," he told her flatly, "I'm just doing what I have to do."

"Well at least try to be more careful," Lorna coaxed him, "There's no telling how much longer this whole affair with the Hand will go on!"

"Yeah…I'll try."

As Lorna helped him stand up Alex turned towards Tabitha, who just hung back casually to avoid the whole argument. She flashed a knowing smile. Like him, she was also a part of Selene's little circle and had a vague idea of what was going on. Mistress Selene told them to expect attacks like this. She didn't say why, but she said they were a vital part of her plan and they were just supposed to keep playing their roles.

"What is with that guy?" groaned Jubilee, "I know he hates being in Scott's shadow, but this is just ridiculous."

"I don't know. I'm guessing he just has a lot of ego issues," said Julian, who was helping out as well, "I've known people like him. They'll do anything to make themselves seem better than anybody else."

"Yeah, well I hope something brings him down a peg," said Kitty, "That kind of attitude is just bound to cause trouble."

"No argument here," said Jubilee, "I was always hoping Lorna could do that. She does seem to have a thing for him."

"She does," said Kitty as she looked over her, "Believe me, I know the signs. But lately I'm not sure if that's enough."

"What do you mean?" asked Julian.

Kitty kept looking at her and sighed. As much as she liked Lorna on a personal level, her attraction to Alex was just too unnerving. She wasn't sure what it meant, but knowing Alex it could be any number of things.

"I don't know," she sighed, "My head hurts too much to think about it anyways."

As they all gathered in an area across from the bomb, the pawns took a moment to collect themselves. Rahne was still fuming while everybody else just took it all in. The Hand was becoming increasingly bolder. They nearly took out one of their core banking hubs, which was vital to the Hellfire Club's power. Banking was one of their chief modes of wielding power. Controlling money helped them control their secret empire. They went to great lengths to conceal it, but somehow the Hand was able to find out where a major hub was and attack it. That indicated not only skilled planning and reconnaissance, but some major breach on their part. If they didn't find out what it was soon then it may lead to much bigger problems.

As Rahne paced restlessly contemplating this issue, Sage emerged from an elevator. And when she saw the damage done and all the dead bodies laying around her usual emotionless expression shifted. She wasn't disgusted or outraged. She was just angry, just as much as Xavier would probably be.

"I finished backing up the banking data, but could someone tell me what the hell happened here? I'll need an explanation to give to Lord Xavier!" she said sternly.

None of the pawns said a word, especially not Alex. The Black King was going to have to pull a lot of strings and bribe a lot of people to cover this one up. But they were all starting to get used to it.

"It's a long story, Sage," Rahne groaned, "I'll give you the details after you call Xavier and tell him we need another cover up. And make sure you catch him in a good mood because it's going to be a big one."

* * *

**Xavier's Office**

When Xavier first became Black King, Moria warned him that having a lot of power also meant being a major target. Even in an organization as secretive and powerful as the Hellfire Club, nobody was immune to the heat. The traditional way to deal with it was through cutthroat tactics and murder, but Xavier hoped to do more than that with cunning, reason, and well-designed deals. For the most part it worked. The power of the Hellfire Club expanded under him faster than at any time in its history. But that power was now being threatened, not just from within but from outside threats as well.

"So the facility is to be offline indefinitely and the damage is severe," muttered the Black King as he spoke to Sage over the phone, "Did you manage to salvage the most vital parts of the database…Good. What about the records…I see. It is a difficult loss…no, I'll have to tap our backups. We'll also have to shift our banking and monetary powers to other hubs…I can't tell you over the phone, but we will have to stretch it…I know, but we'll deal with it…Don't worry about the media. I've already set up a cover story. I've also had law enforcement feed false information to the Avengers…No, they don't know and you'll need to make sure it stays that way…Yes, I'll have a talk with Alex when he returns. Just get everybody out. The Hand will pay for this. That you can be sure of."

Charles Xavier let out a disgruntled sigh as he hung up his phone and sank into his chair. This was not going well. As powerful as he was, the Hand was hitting his organization hard and he was starting to feel it. Having to scramble every time to cover up an attack or protect his assets was starting to take a toll. Scott, Warpath, and Piotr were there with him and they took notice. As senior pawns they, were playing an increasingly larger part of dealing with these operations. But they were getting disheartened as well.

"That didn't sound too promising, sir," said Scott grimly.

"It could have been worse, my boy," said the Black King, "That facility was a key component to our banking system. Losing it will cause some disruptions in some of our day-to-day operations."

"Does that mean we should start laying off sex workers and mercenaries?" said Warpath dryly.

"Of course not. The loss was grave, not severe. We still have plenty of money to keep functioning. But losing our banking hubs will make it more difficult to manage and control these assets."

"How much so?" inquired Scott, "Exactly how much did the Hand cost us with this one attack?"

"It's too early to tell, but according to Sage's report the figure may be in the hundreds of millions."

The three elder pawns groaned at such an estimate. Even in an organization as wealthy as the Hellfire Club, losing that much money still hurt. Even if they could afford it, that didn't make it any less painful. And it hit them in a way that hurt more than just financially. It damaged their prestige. It showed they were not invincible and the potential for further losses grew with each defeat.

"I do not mean to speak out of line, Lord Xavier. But these attacks are getting worse by the day. I feel as though we should be doing something more," said Piotr.

"It is never out of line to speak the truth in these matters," said the Black King, "But I assure you, something will be done. It's just not as easy as it has been in the past."

"How is that possible?" asked Scott as he started to restlessly pace, "We've never had a problem taking down the competition in the past. I know these secret societies are more cunning, but how is the Hand able to slip by us so often like this?"

"And without their leader, no less," added Warpath, "That shouldn't even be possible!"

"It isn't just possible, James. It's very probable. But you're right. Without their leader they shouldn't be as organized as they are," reasoned Xavier, "They must have some sort of edge that is not only keeping them together, but aiding them in these attacks."

"What kind of edge are you talking about?" asked Piotr suspiciously.

"Do you even have to ask? They must have someone on the inside spying for them!" said Warpath firmly, "It's the only way they could stay a step ahead of us like this!"

"But how is that even possible?" said Piotr, "We have several psychics constantly scanning the minds of every worker and security on every square inch of our facilities."

"That may be so, Peter. But that doesn't mean it can't be done," reminded Xavier.

"But how many people here would have the capacity and resources to do so?" the Russian pondered.

"The list is short and we all know who is at the top," said Scott in a dark tone.

A heavy silence fell over them. Nobody wanted to say it, but they all knew the answer. There was only one person in the world cunning and devious enough to slip past their watchful eye and she was someone they all knew well. But for the pawns, accusing her was difficult because she was still an authority figure to them. And like it or not, they had to respect her.

"You don't think she would betray us for the Hand, do you?" said Piotr, "That makes no sense."

"Of course not, but it makes the most sense!" grunted Warpath, "Who else but her could tell them how to hit us so hard?!"

"Perhaps," said Xavier, maintaining his calm demeanor, "But if that is the case she's doing a very good job of covering her tracks. All my surveillance and spying has turned up nothing unusual with her."

"That's a relative term for her, sir," said Scott, trying to stay calm as well, "But you said it yourself. You've never been very good at keeping track of her."

"Nobody has," said the Black King, "She has probably been using some powerful magic spells to create illusions that traditional means cannot uncover. I've long tried to get past her deception, but her mystical talents are just too good."

"What about Jean?" asked Scott strongly, "Hasn't she been able to uncover anything? You have been having her study a lot more."

"Jean's mystic talents, while impressive, are still developing. She is still a ways from matching anyone with more experience and power. And even if she was, I fear it may already be too late to get through whatever spells have been cast."

There was a grim darkness to his tone. It was as if he was accepting defeat, something the Black King never did. The three elder pawns were taken aback by such an admission. It didn't bode well and left few options. But the Hellfire Club's legacy was built on resilience. They weren't about to consider defeat even if it was too late.

"So what do we do?" asked Piotr intently, "How do we deal with this?"

"For now, all we can do is continue the fight against the Hand," said the Black King, "I'll mobilize more of our mercenary army to defend our assets while you and the other pawns continue to attack them."

"But what if they remain a step ahead of us?" asked Scott, "We can't just keep doing what we're doing without knowing all the facts."

"I understand, Scott. And we will uncover the truth one way or another. We just have to be ready for it."

"And what if it is too late?" said Piotr intently, "What if this keeps up and 'you know who' makes a move?"

"We'll just have to be ready for it," said the Black King as he got up from his seat and walked over to his wine cooler.

"That's it? Just be ready for her?!" exclaimed Warpath, "With all due respect, my lord, it would be foolhardy to just wait for her to strike! You know better than anybody what she's capable of! She will NOT give us a second chance if she decides to make a move!"

"Please calm down, James. Here, have a drink," said Xavier, pouring his young pawn a glass of wine.

"I don't want a drink!" he said, pushing the glass back towards the Black King, "I want to find a way stop this from blowing up in our faces!"

"So do I, but you know damn well that good decisions rarely come out of blind anger. So if you do not calm down you will be in no position to make any decisions whatsoever."

Warpath's expression cringed with anger, but he held back and let out a disgruntled sigh. Xavier then offered him the glass of wine again. This time he took it and drank it all in a single gulp. He was never too big a drinker, but during times like this he saw the need. And while Scott and Piotr remained calmer, Xavier could tell they shared James's concerns. They were valid, but he was quick to reassure them.

"I know you all are anxious. I am too," said the Black King in a serious yet sincere tone, "But we must be reasonable about this. If the Hand is getting information from within the Inner Circle we must be prepared to accept it. Moreover, we must be prepared to stop it."

"And what if we aren't?" asked Scott seriously.

The Black King was silent for a moment. He wished he could reassure his loyal pawns better, but he couldn't without risking his own plans. They were already at a very sensitive and vulnerable stage. To reveal them now would jeopardize everything. But these were still his pawns. They had been loyal to him from the beginning and he wasn't about to overlook them.

"We will be," he assured them as he poured himself a glass of wine, "Rest assured I have taken precautions. I will not let everything we've worked so hard to build be taken down from the inside."

"How so?" asked James in a calmer tone, "What kind of 'precautions' are we talking about here?"

"I wish I could tell you, but you know why I can't. The less you know the less you'll have to be on your guard when someone gets suspicious. I know it is not a comforting thought, but remember one thing…you are pawns of the Inner Circle and you have served loyally for the past five years. Such loyalty will not go unrewarded, that you can be sure of. You just have to trust me when I say I will not leave any of you behind. No matter what suffering, hardship, or despair comes, I will get us through this. You have my word as Black King."

The three young men took a moment to digest Xavier's words. They had been in the Inner Circle long enough to know that there were some things Lord Xavier kept from them. He had to in an organization that had people like Selene in it. And for all the time they had been here, learning and serving this man, he had never broken a promise to them or steered them wrong. Loyalty to him was more precious than any wealth. And he always rewarded people for it. They had no reason to believe that this would be any different so they took him at his word.

"Thank you, Lord Xavier," said Warpath respectfully, "I apologize for losing my temper earlier."

"Think nothing of it, James," said Xavier with a reassuring smile, "We've all been a little stressed around here lately. We're entitled to get a little angry. But it'll pass. Just remember what I've taught you and everything will work out."

"I'm sure it will sir," said Scott strongly, "I'll get started on planning the next attack on the Hand. If they strike again, I'll see to it they never cause this kind of damage again. And if they do, I'll make sure they suffer for it."

"I'm sure you will," said Xavier proudly, "And have Pietro help you as well. His leg has healed and I'm sure he's eager to exact a little vengeance."

"Of course," said Scott.

"And while you're at it, be sure to have a conversation with that brother of yours," said Xavier more seriously, "His recent antics have been quite disturbing."

Scott clenched his fists in anger. Over the past nine months, Alex had been growing more distant. He didn't take anything he tried to teach him seriously anymore. He was always off doing his own thing and keeping it all from him no less. Recently, he was getting out of control. It was as if he didn't even care anymore. And Scott didn't take that lightly.

"Don't worry, I'll take care of him," he said bitterly, "His hotheadedness has been getting us all in a lot of trouble lately. I promise I won't let it get any further."

"I'm sure you will," said Xavier confidently.

Scott stormed out of the office, half focused on his duties and half focused on yelling at his brother again. Xavier hoped that having Alex in the Inner Circle would serve as a motivating force. But so far it wasn't going that way. He sensed many dark thoughts from Alex and worried that he had gone down the same path as others such as Wanda, Monet, and Tabitha. Scott would not accept that easily so the Black King turned towards Warpath, who quickly picked up on what Xavier was thinking.

"I'll follow him," said the Apache warrior, "I'll try not to let it get too out of hand with those two."

"Good luck with that," scoffed Piotr.

Warpath followed Scott out of the office. And Piotr started following him. But before he got to the door he stopped and turned back towards the Black King. The mention of Scott's troubles with his brother reminded him of his own sibling problems. And with everything that had been going on lately, he had been meaning to talk to Lord Xavier about it.

"Is there something wrong, Peter?" asked Xavier as he poured himself another glass.

"No, nothing is wrong. But I was wondering…has Amelia talked to you about Illyana lately?"

Xavier put his glass down and walked back over to the young Russian. He had a feeling this would come up sooner or later. It was best to get it out of the way now.

"Ah, I see what this is about," he said, "You're still worried about her, aren't you?"

"So she has told you," Piotr surmised.

"She called recently and told me everything. While I can't in good conscious say I know what you're going through, you do have my sympathies."

"Thank you, Lord Xavier," said the Russian mutant solemnly, "But it isn't just her illness that has me worried. Amelia believes it may have a basis in magic. And with magic becoming such a big issue for us, I have a bad feeling that it may be connected."

"How so?" asked Xavier curiously, "Have you seen any signs of outside involvement? Because if you have it is certainly worthy of investigation."

"No, I haven't noticed anything and neither has Amelia. It is just a gut feeling. I cannot explain it. I just…know somehow."

Xavier placed his hand on Piotr's broad shoulder in a comforting gesture. His concern for his sister was admirable. It was what helped him maintain a balanced spirit in an organization where it was easy to fall too far into darkness. He certainly wished he had that kind of support with siblings of his own. But that was another story.

"I'm just concerned that if something happens with us that somehow she will get involved," said Piotr anxiously, "And I don't want her to face that. She's not ready to face our world!"

"I understand, Peter. But you must remain calm. I know Illyana means a lot to you. And you knew from the beginning that there was a chance she would get involved with us."

"Yes, but not like this! Not when people like Sinister and Selene are involved!"

Piotr was starting to get a little hysterical. He stopped for a moment and took a few deep breaths. He had to remember he was still in the presence of the Black King. He had to be respectful even if this was such a deeply personal issue for him. Once he calmed down his demeanor shifted and he turned to the Black King with a desperate look in his eye.

"You say you've made preparations for us in case something happens," Piotr went on, "I know I'm in no position to ask favors, but would it be at all possible to do something for Illyana? Is there some way we can keep her out of this mess should it erupt?"

Xavier was silent for a moment, but then he cast a reassuring smile.

"I'll do what I can," he told him, "However, I still may not able to give you the details as it may relate to my other plans."

"I do not care," said Piotr, "So long as Illyana is protected."

"Very well," said the Black King, "I'll do my best. And please stay in touch with Amelia. If she find out anything on Illyana's condition, I would like to know."

"I will. Thank you, Lord Xavier."

The Russian mutant respectfully bowed to the Black King and then made his leave. Charles Xavier had given him and his sister a lot since he first arrived. The life they had now was worlds better than anything he could have hoped for. He was still wary of Illyana getting involved in the Hellfire Club. She was a teenager now and she was approaching an age where she could join their ranks. But he wasn't sure if it was for her. He still saw her as the innocent little girl he worked so hard to protect. But he couldn't escape the truth. Illyana was growing up and there was no telling what path she may walk. Whatever path she chose, he hoped he could help her choose the right one. But before he could think of that, she had to get over this mysterious ailment.

For Xavier, that ailment was more intriguing than Piotr let on. He was no expert in magic, but the symptoms Amelia described and Piotr's concern over them hinted at other forces. Perhaps there was a link between her and whatever was going on with Selene. If that was the case he had to look into it further. It may prove vital in finding a way to stop her and whatever sinister plans she may have. Whatever it was he had best uncover it soon because he felt as though time was running out.

* * *

**Hellfire Manor – Foyer **

It was a busy and confusing time for Laura Kinney. These past nine months had been pretty eventful. She took to her role as one of the Hellfire Club's top assassins quite well. The lethal skills taught to her by Hydra were proving their worth. In only a few months time they trusted her to kill some of the Hellfire Club's most difficult targets. And just like Hydra, she never failed. Only here she wasn't being tortured, prodded, or manipulated. She was pursuing her own goals and embracing who she was. Logan had been a major help and so had the others, even though she wasn't the friendliest person in the world. But she still struggled at times to understand emotions and having a sense of self. And it led to some interesting developments over the past few months.

Logan, who had once been the target of all her rage, had become like family to her. The concept of family was still difficult for her. The only family she ever knew was her mother and after she died she had been numbed to the feeling for years. But Logan was able to break through. He may be a brute and he wasn't the most affectionate person in the world to say the least, but he still cared about her and helped teach her how to deal with the burden of living with the ghosts of Weapon X. It gave them a special bond that they both valued. She was beginning to feel for him similar things she felt for her mother. They were still confusing feelings at times, but not nearly as confusing as others.

By far the most difficult emotional issues she dealt with involved Julian Keller. Over the past nine months, they developed a strong friendship. He was probably the only other person besides Logan she really talked to. He was also her favorite sex partner. She slept with him more than any other man. And every time she did she would feel things for him beyond the usual pleasures. She wasn't sure what it was, but she was beginning to think it was serious. She wasn't sure if it was love, lust, or some other emotion she couldn't make sense of. But the more she was around him the more she felt it.

As she made her way down the foyer, she saw Logan walking with Mystique. They were talking about something and Mystique was laughing. She couldn't tell if Logan was too, but he seemed to enjoy her company well. It kind of reminded her of how she was around Julian. With that in mind she caught up with him.

"Well, I better catch up with Rogue," said Mystique, "She says Kurt's been flaking out of his duties lately and you know I can't have any more of that."

"Good luck working that out. I'm sure he'll listen to you like the obedient son he's always been," said Logan jokingly.

"Shut up," she said with a bemused grin, "I'll see you later, Logan."

"Later, Misty. Let me know when you want to get drunk again. I'll bet you'll need it after this."

Mystique rolled her eyes and walked off, still smiling back at Logan as she went to catch up with Rogue. Once she was gone, Logan smiled as well. Smiling for him had always been rare, but when he did it was usually for a good reason. Laura knew this and decided to confront him about it. Maybe he could help her work this situation out with Julian.

"You must really like her," she said as she walked up to him.

Logan abruptly turned around and was on the verge of drawing his claws when he saw it was just Laura. He had been so lost in thought he didn't notice her approaching.

"Damn kid, why do you always gotta sneak up on people like that?" he growled.

"Sorry," she shrugged, "I was just pointing something out."

"Yeah, well prepare me a little next time," he said as he started walking up the stairs.

He didn't even address her comment. Either he hadn't heard her or he was ignoring it. With Logan it could go either way.

"So is it true?" she asked as she followed him closely.

"Is what true?" he muttered.

"You know what I'm talking about," said Laura with an annoyed tone, "I said you must really like her."

"Who? Raven?" said Logan incredulously.

"If she's the one you call 'Misty' then yes. That's who I meant."

Logan stopped halfway up the stairs. Laura was never one for small talk. She was always very blunt about everything. Her conversation skills were one of the few things she hadn't improved on since she came here. And she sure knew how to bring up some really touchy subjects.

"Don't start with this, Laura. I really don't wanna talk about it," he muttered.

"Talk about what? The fact that you like her? Why is that hard? You sure seemed to like her with the way you were smiling at her."

Logan looked away and growled again. Why did Laura have be so observant? He had to remind himself sometimes that she had the same enhanced senses as him.

"It's just…hard, okay?" he told her, "And I don't want to dwell on it. Why are you even bringing it up anyways? Since when did you get so interested in who I spend my time with?"

"I just want to talk about something that's all," said Laura, "I…I think I need some advice."

"On what?" said Logan, starting to get concerned, "This have anything to do with the last mission we did when we had to kill that pregnant woman in the Hand who came at us with a bomb?"

"No, it's not that. It's…it's about Julian."

Logan rubbed the back of his neck awkwardly. This was a topic he hoped to avoid. He had enough problems dealing with his feelings for Jean and whatever it was that was happening between him and Mystique. He didn't want to get too involved with Laura's issues with Julian. He knew how she had been getting closer to her these past few months. He hoped in the back of his mind it wouldn't get too serious. Laura was still a bit troubled when it came to deeper emotions and the scars from her mother's death were still there. But as he knew full well, these sorts of things happen.

"Oh…I see," grumbled Logan.

"I'm not sure, but I'm having these feelings for him…feelings I'm not entirely sure about," said Laura distantly, "I feel them a lot when we have sex. And I notice I don't feel them with other men. But sometimes I feel them by just being close to him. I…I can't describe it but, I know it's there. And it's…confusing."

"Yeah, I'll bet," said Logan empathetically.

"So what do I do? You seem to know something about these feelings," she asked intently.

Logan groaned. This was an awkward position for him. He would almost rather be stuck in a building with a hundred Hand assassins armed with machetes. But Laura was his responsibility. He couldn't turn away from her at a time like this.

"Look, I'll level with you, Laura. I know about as much as you do about this shit. So I don't think I'm the one you should get your advice from."

"Why not? What about Raven?"

"That's…complicated," he said, struggling to articulate, "Thing is, I do know the kind of feelings you're talking about. And I know how hard it is. But if you knew how I dealt with it, you'd never even come to me in the first place."

"Why do you say that?" asked Laura curiously.

Logan grumbled again as memories of what happened with Jean came rushing back. They were still fresh in his memory and weighed heavily on him. But even though it turned out as good as it could have under the circumstances, he still messed it up.

"Because I'm not good at making decisions when it comes to stuff like love and attraction," he told her, "Hell, I have a talent for screwing it up. Just ask Jeannie."

"Jean? Why her?"

"It's a LONG story," groaned Logan, "But take it from me, you don't want to get too deep into this. You'll only drive yourself crazy and put yourself in a world of pain."

"But…what if I don't stop having these feelings?" asked Laura intently, "And what if they keep getting stronger?"

Logan struggled to come up with an answer. It sounded a lot like the situation he had with Jean. It was kind of ironic that Laura was ending up in the same predicament. Being his clone seemed to give her his baggage as well. He wished it wasn't like this, but it was a bit too late for that now.

For a moment he pondered. Then he thought back to some of the advice Raven gave him. She wasn't an expert in these matters either, but she knew how to make it a lot simpler. She kept him from making things with Jeannie any worse and if it worked for him, maybe it could work for Laura.

"If it gets to that point I guess you got a real problem," said Logan, "I can't tell you how to deal with it. But I will tell you this though…don't just do what your instinct tells you. Because when it comes down to choosing what your gut tells you and what you know is right, usually what you know is right is the better choice."

"I don't understand," said Laura, "What kind of choice are you talking about?"

"If you have to ask then you probably aren't ready to make it," said Logan, "Just take it easy, give it time, and don't use me as a model for this shit. I told you I'm not good at it."

It was a blunt if not somewhat crass answer. But then again this was Logan. Laura had come to expect as such from him. He was a brute like her, but at least he was honest. And even though he didn't give her what she wanted in terms of advice, he did clear a few things up for her. And that would help her as she worked this out. She had a feeling these feelings she had for Julian weren't going away anytime soon.

To Logan's relief, she smiled slightly. Like him, smiling was rare but when she did it was usually pretty meaningful. He wasn't sure if he said the right thing. He hoped he wouldn't lead her down the same path he went with Jean. But only time would tell. And hopefully she wouldn't belabor the point.

"Okay, I think I see what you're saying," said Laura, "Thanks Logan."

"Sure thing," he said, smiling back, "Just watch yourself with stuff like this. We got enough shit to worry about in this place."

"I will."

Laura began to walk away, but before she did Logan added one more detail.

"Oh and one more thing…if that Julian kid ever tries something funny you just let me know and I'll make sure he suffers," Logan added with a wolfish grin.

"I'll keep that in mind," said Laura with a bemused look.

Logan sighed as he watched Laura run off. It was a bit overwhelming that he was still trying to be family to this girl and now she was falling for someone. He was unprepared to take her in to begin with. Now he was dealing with all these issues with her. Under the circumstances she held up pretty well, but he still worried sometimes. There was always a chance that the ghosts from her pasts would come back to haunt her and having a love interest on top of that really complicated things. Laura may be a tough, damaged teenage girl but she was still a teenage girl. Hopefully she would be able to handle this better than him.

His advice lingered with Laura as she walked off in search of Julian. He should be back from the mission in Sacramento and was probably in need of some company. She wasn't sure how she was going to heed Logan's words. She liked Julian, but things were complicated enough. It might be best if she didn't complicate them any further. Maybe when this mess with the Hand blew over they could work it out. Until then she was left to ponder at the possibilities. Could she and Julian have something? Could it work between them in the unusual circumstances of their lives here at the Hellfire Club? Then there was the emotional baggage she carried. She wasn't even sure if she was capable of feelings these things fully. But for now, only time would tell.

* * *

**Alberta, Canada – Pat's Bar & Pub**

Victor Creed, better known as Sabretooth, had seen better days. It seemed as though the last five years of his life have been a meaningless daze. He woke up, drank, banged hookers, and went back to sleep. On occasion he did some mercenary work, killing and maiming whoever paid him enough to do it. But that was just for money. As much as he enjoyed busting heads, his heart just wasn't in it nearly as much anymore. It just didn't seem as meaningful because the one person he wanted to hurt most had disappeared without a trace.

"Hey Pat! Whose bones you gotta break to get another round in this shit hole?" he hollered out.

"Hey, take it easy, pal! I'm not in the mood for another one of your tantrums! I'm still cleaning up from last time!" yelled Pat, the bar owner.

"Less talkin', more boozing or this time I don't pay you back! Got it?"

Pat mumbled something under his breath and poured the imposing man another pitcher. But Victor didn't care what he thought. He didn't care what anybody thought. He was a drifter and a loner who nobody dared get too close to. Even in a joint like this where big tough bikers and thugs gathered, they didn't dare pick a fight with him. It always ended with him adding another corpse to his already extensive body count. And yet it still wasn't enough.

Ever since Wolverine escaped from that little trap he set at the nuclear plant, Victor Creed had been seething. He wanted so bad to see that little runt hauled off and tortured to death, but then these super-powered punks came in and saved his pathetic ass. After they got away, he tried trailing them. He wanted to know who these punks were and what they were doing protecting his hated enemy. But to his dismay, he couldn't track them. They along with Wolverine pretty much disappeared.

He searched far and wide, looking for answers on who these punks were and where they could have taken Logan. But nobody knew anything. Nobody was willing to talk. And those that did know would rather die and be tortured than tell him. From time to time he would hear something about a man fitting Logan's description causing some trouble somewhere, but whenever he tried to follow up on it he hit a dead end.

Eventually, Sabretooth gave up and relegated himself to booze and women. It was a hallow existence. Ever since the dog days of Weapon X, he longed to make Logan pay. They fought many bloody fights over the years, but he was never able to finish him off. Now more than ever he wanted another chance at that runt. There was nothing he wouldn't do to sink his claws into his enemies flesh and rip him to shreds.

As Sabretooth slammed back the next round, pitcher and all, a new presence entered the bar and it was a presence that quickly turned heads.

"Victor Creed, I presume," said the cold voice of Emma Frost.

Sabretooth put down the pitcher and turned to see a very attractive blonde walking up to him. She had on an elegant white coat, white pants, and a revealing halter top that showed off her voluptuous figure. In a place like this, she got her fair share of looks. Creed immediately grinned lecherously. This night was looking up.

"Well ain't you a hot little number," he said as his eyes drifted up and down her figure, "What's a girl like you doing a dump like this?"

"Looking for you. And my eyes are up here," she said, trying to direct his attention away from her breasts.

"Sorry, I can't help it. You buy those things wholesale or did you get a special deal? If you don't wanna tell me I'd be more than happy to find out."

"Don't get fresh with me, Creed. I'm in no mood for lecherous dealings. I'm here on assignment. An associate of an associate of mine is looking to enlist your services and for some reason they think you're best suited for the job."

"Someone wants my services, huh? And they sent a hottie like you to make the offer? I like em already!"

"I thought you would," said Emma dryly, "So are you interested or not?"

"That depends," he said, setting his beer aside and moving in closer to her, "What kind of assignment are we talking about here?"

"It's nothing too complicated. Even a thug like you could do it. We just need you to act as some extra muscle for a little scheme."

"A little muscle? That's it? Come on, even I have standards," he scoffed, "I love busting heads, but I don't do it for free…most of the time anyways."

"I know you don't. And you will be compensated. But we're offering you more than just money."

"You don't say?" he said, his eyes drifting towards her breasts again, "Any of it involve you and maybe a few other girls?"

"Not quite. A little bird told me there was something else you wanted…something more than money or women. And that something goes by the name, Logan."

Sabretooth's grin disappeared and his expression tensed. As soon as he heard that name all those old feelings of anger and resentment surfaced. Instinctively, she grabbed Emma by the neck and forced her against the bar.

"Logan?! What the hell do you know about Logan? Talk!" he demanded.

"Let go of me, furball!"

"Like hell I…"

But before Sabretooth could finish he felt a strange feeling his head and the next thing he knew his arms started acting on their own. He released her from his grip and backed away. He didn't want to and he tried to resist it, but something had taken control of his body. It didn't take long for him to piece together what just happened.

"You better calm down, Creed! Or I'll blow that that dump you call a mind of your apart!"

"Ah great! A fucking psychic!" he growled.

Their conversation was starting to garner attention. But Emma just used her telepathy to go in their heads as well and twist their perceptions so they wouldn't notice. As far as the rest of the bar was concerned, they weren't even here at the moment.

"I've been having a very bad couple of weeks so I'm in no mood for your insolence!" spat Emma angrily, "I'm just here to give you another chance at tormenting Logan! In exchange, you'll help my associates with whatever crazy scheme they have in mind! Now do you want in or not? Because we don't need you and I know how much you want your vengeance!"

Sabretooth growled at the attractive blonde. She was offering him something he had been wanting all his life, another shot at his old rival. He didn't need to know the details. He didn't need to know who these people were and what they were up to. All he needed to know was that he could have his vengeance with Logan. As far as he was concerned, nothing else mattered.

"Fine…I'm in," he growled, "Now get the fuck out of my mind!"

"Very well," grumbled Emma, "But try anything else and I won't be so careful next time."

"I'll remember that. You're pretty tough for a girl of your looks. You got some spunk, not to mention some anger going. I like that! But what's a girl like you got to be so angry about?"

Emma's expression hardened. This man was more perceptive than his brutish image let on. But she wasn't about to let him in on her own personal issues. Her anger was hers and hers alone. She would deal with it in due time just as she was sure Sabretooth would. She figured that was why Monet sent her here to get this brute. She figured she would be able to relate to him because he was after the same thing she was…vengeance. And like him, she was willing to do anything to get it.

"That's none of your business," she told him, "Just follow me and I'll tell you what you need to know."

"All I want to know is when do I get a shot at Logan?" growled Creed.

"Oh trust me, you'll get your shot soon enough. And so will I."

Without another outburst, Sabretooth followed Emma out of the bar where limousine was waiting for them. The pieces were starting to come together. Whatever Monet was planning, Emma was a part of it now and so was Sabretooth. They were nearing the point of no return. Neither one of them knew just what they were getting into, but that didn't matter. All that mattered was getting revenge on those who wronged them.

* * *

**Up next: A big incident with the Hand turns into an even bigger incident that may spell trouble for the Black King.**

**AN: I hope you're enjoying this story as the heat continues to build. Please take the time to tell me what you think. Post a review on the fanfictoin website or feel free to email me your comments. And if you want to see some uncensored material from this series, please check out the adultfanfiction version through a link on my profile. Thank you all very much for reading and I wish everybody the best.  
**


	8. First Strike

**New Blood  
Chapter 8: First Strike**

* * *

**Sinister's Secret Lab**

Mr. Sinister lost his humanity a long time ago. It left him over a century ago in the days where he talked evolution with Charles Darwin himself. Back then society was simpler, yet more barbaric. Today society was more sophisticated, yet more corrupt. It seemed as though there was no room for true progress. And that always bothered him. It was what led him to this monumental point in his life, crafting a new generation of advanced mutants that would give rise to a new species. And unlike humanity, this species would overcome every flaw humanity couldn't.

Decades of research and countless resources had finally come together in the form of twelve mutant infants, each of whom had been secretly sired by the women of the Hellfire Club without their knowledge. And after months developing in a bio tank and incubator, they were now fully formed and viable for the next step. And while Sinister may not have his humanity, he still had the capacity for affection in his wondrous creations.

"Beautiful…" he said as he stroked the innocent face of one of the infants, "They're all so beautiful."

It wouldn't be long now. His infants would provide him the pieces and he would be the one to put them all together. He would be like God himself in the book of Genesis, giving life to Adam. Only this creation would not fall. His creation would be truly dominant.

As he smiled down at the sleeping youths, the monitoring console that had been keeping the children docile started flashing. Sinister looked up to see that the secure messaging system he used to communicate was indicating an incoming contact. That could only be one of two people, Hank or Selene. And he already had a feeling it wasn't Hank. Sighing to himself, he went to answer the call.

"What is it? I'm busy," he said upon hitting the button on the console.

"_I'm sure you are, Essex. But you'll have to drop what you're doing and begin packing up. The next part of my plan is set to begin."_

"I don't see why you can't do it without me, Selene. My children have just gotten out of the incubators. They are still in a fragile state."

"_Don't make excuses, Sinister! You knew this was coming! We're going to be moving out soon and you and your 'children' will be coming with us!"_

Sinister held back a curse. As much as he owed this woman for helping him carry out his plans, she was still insufferable. She had no patience, no subtlety, and no class. But as part of their deal, he had to oblige. She did her part now he would have to do his.

"_Now I've already sent a team of my elite guards. They will help you pack your equipment up and get it to a transport that will be waiting for you atop X-Industrial. I'll meet you there later once I take care of things on my end."_

"I'll be waiting," muttered Sinister, "Have you set up the new lab according to my specifications?"

"_Oh don't you worry about that. Everything has been taken care of. I've made sure of it. Just do your part and you'll get what you want. We all will."_

"That had better be the case," said Sinister strongly, "I've worked too long and too hard to have my plans falter at this point."

"_Believe me, Sinister. I know how you feel. But all our hard work will pay off soon. You'll see. Everyone shall see."_

With those ominous words, the communication link went down and Sinister was left to do his part. Looking back at the children he created, he couldn't help but feel a little anxious about this. He had always been suspicious of Selene. Making a deal with her was always a gamble. But for the past year she had delivered on all her promises so far. She kept Xavier off his back, provided him with resources, and helped him along in his research. He knew he was going to have to pay her back eventually. He had already done some minor 'side-projects' for her, but this was much bigger. But he wasn't so naïve to think that she still wouldn't betray him. Luckily, he had prepared for that.

Before his started packing up his equipment, he had to get in touch with his apprentice, Hank McCoy. Over the years the young man had taken strongly to him. Like him, his humanity had been slowly drained out of him over the years. But lately, some of that humanity was rearing its head because of his friendship with Rahne Sinclair. He made no secret of his disapproval, but had little time to scorn him over it. He could only hope his tutelage would remain stronger at this late hour. He would need it if he was to do what he was about to ask him.

"Okay Hank, time to prove your worth," he said as he opened up a new link, "For all our sake I hope you don't screw this up."

* * *

**Hank's Lab**

It was a confusing time for Hank McCoy. Sinister had been even busier than usual lately, and for him that was really something. And he had him working overtime as well. These past few months he was doing all these 'side-projects' as he called them. Sinister wouldn't tell him what they were or what they were for. He just said they were necessary for his work. And being the good pupil he was, Hank didn't ask questions. He just did as he was told and went about his business.

But his work was not without distractions. During this busy and confusing time, Rahne continued to visit him. She didn't ask too many questions about his work or what Sinister was up to. She just came there to talk to him and he was always there to listen. Most of the time, she talked about how she was dealing with her abilities. Over the course of the last year she had made a lot of progress in accepting her feral nature. The woman who was once so torn between her human form and animal form had found a nice balance and she owed much of it to the advice he gave her. And while Sinister constantly warned him about her being a distraction, he couldn't help but grow fond of her.

But he tried not to let it show. His loyalty was to Sinister from beginning to end. He was the one who taught him everything about science and mutation. He was the one who opened his eyes to the devolving world around him. He was obligated to serve him and this was no exception.

"_So the neural interface software program is complete? Are you sure you debugged it properly?"_

"Yes sir, I used all the specifications you gave me to their full effect. The program is sound. I made sure of it," said Hank as he looked at the image of his mentor through a camera on his laptop.

"_I'll do one final check just in case. Send it to me through an encrypted line and I'll forward it along."_

"Very well, sir. You'll have it in less than five minutes. But I must remind you I've never programmed malicious software of this nature. I'm not sure it will interface properly with a normal computer network."

"_Let me worry about that, my boy. I've already taken care of it. Now what about that other little program I told you about?"_

"Which one? You've given me many," said Hank cryptically.

"_You know…the one I had to give you on a piece of paper instead of an email."_

Hank's demeanor shifted. He had been around Sinister long enough to know what he was referring to whenever he made such vague references. It was necessary if he was to keep his mind clear of secrets. This was no exception, but he was smart enough to know what he was doing with this. He was also smart enough not to make a big deal about it.

"Ah yes, that little task. Don't worry, I've taken care of that as well," Hank assured him, "It's all set up just as you requested."

"_Excellent, then we're ready to move on. Now be very careful because what goes on after this is critical. I can't give you the details, but you must do exactly as I say!"_

"I understand, sir. You can count on me. That I promise you."

"_Be sure that I can. Your first and most important task is to stay in the lab while I carry out a few important tasks. Do not even attempt to leave it. Just sit at your desk and pretend you're busy. Don't leave for anything, including Rahne. Understand?"_

"That seems simple enough," shrugged Hank.

"_Don't be too naïve, Hank. When I say stay I mean it. You may or may not see signs of serious distress throughout the network and throughout the organization. And no matter how serious a matter it may seem, you are to do nothing! Is that clear?"_

He was being more forceful than usual. Sinister was never usually like this unless something very serious was going on. And judging by the look in his eyes over the monitor it wasn't just serious, it was grave. He couldn't even begin to imagine what that implied, but never-the-less he nodded in affirmation.

"I understand, sir," he told him.

"_Good, I put a lot of faith in you, Hank. Make sure that faith is not in vain. I'll call you soon when the time is right. Until then, you know what to do."_

"Yes sir. I'll be waiting," said Hank flatly.

The video link on his laptop went dead and Hank was left to digest this. It was very rare Sinister was this intent about something. It was even rarer that he would ask him to just do nothing like this and stay in the lab like this. But he was sure it was for a reason. Sinister always had a reason. But he couldn't help but have a bad feeling about this. Something was about to happen…something major. He was sure he could keep Sinister's secrets like he always did. He just couldn't allow himself to get too distracted.

Just as he was closing his laptop, the door to his lab opened and in walked the one person who he couldn't afford to see at the moment. It was Rahne and she was all but oblivious to what just happened.

"Hello Hank. Do ye have a moment?"

"Um…this is somewhat a bad time, Rahne," said Hank, quickly scrambling to gather his things, "Can it wait until later?"

"I've been waiting till later for the last month and a half. How much later do you want me to wait?" she said as she walked up to him, "I know ye be a busy man, but I need to talk to ye about something. It's important."

Hank could hear Sinister's voice in his head telling him to turn away and do his job. But when he saw the serious look in Rahne's eyes he was unable to heed that voice. He just couldn't turn away from this girl. She was one of the few he could he could genuinely relate to. So he turned to face her, trying not to look too distressed.

"I'm sorry, my dear. Please, go on," he told her.

Rahne smiled and sat up on his desk.

"I'm sure ye noticed, but lately there's been a lot going on here lately. Ever since the Hand incident, it's been pretty nasty. It seems as though we've been fighting them day and night, but they be like cockroaches. No matter how much ye stomp on them they keep coming back."

"Well I'm sure Charles Xavier and Selene will keep stomping. This organization is too powerful to just let some ninjas take us down."

"Aye, but that's not what worries me," she said distantly, "Everybody seems to be getting the same bad feeling lately. It's like we all know this stuff be worse than it looks, but nobody is willing to admit it. We all just think the Inner Circle is too powerful to fail."

"Are you implying it's not?" asked Hank.

"No, I'm just saying that's a dangerous mindset. And it shows whenever we go out to fight the Hand. I know I've had me share of action. Bounty hunting the Hand is quite the challenge. But I've been able to manage it. And that's sort of why I'm here."

The young Scottish girl then turned towards the imposing ape-man who so few got close to.

"When I look back on what I was before I came here and what I am now, I think I can be saying with complete certainty that I never would have been able to handle this without your help. You're the one who taught me how to embrace not just my animal side, but every side of who I be. It's made me stronger in a fight and better at as a bounty hunter. And there be plenty of times when that strength has saved me life."

Then what happened next caught him off guard. She leaned in and kissed him on the cheek. It wasn't a normal peck either. It was almost like a nibble as a real animal would give to a mate. And it said a lot to him.

"I guess I just wanted to say thank you," she said, "I know ye be a complicated man. But ye be a man I'm glad to know. I'm not the best when it comes to affection. Just ask me mother. But I just thought ye should know ye be special to me."

Hank tried not to react too emotionally to her words, but it was hard after hearing those words. He knew Rahne's reputation. She was a ruthless bounty hunter who was known for leaving claw marks on her lovers. She was a product of the Hellfire Club so showing affection was rare. But when it was shown it was especially meaningful. And for someone like him who was also so emotionally hardened it was very powerful.

"I…don't know what to say, Rahne," he said, trying to hide the emotion in his tone.

"That's a first," she laughed, "But ye don't have to say anything."

"May I at least say, you're welcome?" he said, managing a smile.

"Sure, I guess that works," she said with another laugh, "You do have a way with words."

"I like to think so."

There was a moment of silence. Rahne kept smiling while Hank tried to remain stoic. But a smile eventually crept across his face.

"I suppose I should also thank you, Rahne. You've been great company these past few months," said Hank, "I know I am not the most exciting person to be around."

"That's okay. I get enough excitement hunting my enemies," she grinned.

Rahne got off his desk and smiled.

"Glad we could get that out," she said, "Now what do ye say ye take a break from this and spend some time at the Manor? I'm sure we can have a little animal fun before the next fight with the Hand breaks out!"

It was a tempting offer. But Sinister's orders were explicit. He was not to leave the lab. For a moment he debated with himself. If what he sensed from Sinister was any indication, there was a good reason why he had him stay. But that only made him more anxious because that meant Rahne could be a part of it. He was in a true dilemma. He had Rahne and Sinister pulling him in opposite directions. But he had to make a choice. And despite what his instinct told him, his loyalty to Sinister won out.

"As nice as that sounds, I have some things I need to finish," he told her, turning away so she wouldn't see any hint of lying in him, "Sinister gave me specific orders and you know how he is about deadlines."

"Fair enough," she sighed, "But Sinister's been keeping ye on a pretty short leash lately. Any idea when he's going to loosen up?"

"I…can't say for certain," he said, still looking away, "But I'll let you know as soon as I find out."

"Okay then," she shrugged, "I guess I be seeing you around."

"Of course," said Hank distantly, "Farewell, Rahne. Be careful."

Rahne smiled at him one last time before leaving. He still didn't look back at her, but she didn't chide him for it. She knew Hank was not very emotional. But something about him still seemed a little off. He almost sounded sad when he said goodbye to her. It was a curious matter, especially with that last comment. She would have to remember it because chances were it had something to do with Sinister. Whatever was going on, she hoped it wasn't too severe. Hank may have been trained by Sinister, but he wasn't as sadistic as Sinister. Hopefully, he would remember that.

Once she was gone, Hank's expression sank. The lab was going to feel a lot lonelier now that he was obligated to stay here until Sinister gave the word. He wished he could follow Rahne, but he couldn't turn away from his mentor. Sinister had done too much for him to turn back now. But Rahne was making it difficult. Whatever was going to happen next was going to happen. He didn't care what happened to anybody else, but he hoped she didn't get too caught up in it. Otherwise he might not be able to heed his mentor's words.

* * *

**Muir Island**

Wanda Maximoff never thought she would come here again. When she first arrived at the Hellfire Club, she swore to herself that she would avoid this situation at all costs. But times had changed. She had changed. She was no longer the reclusive and mysterious Scarlet Witch, the mutant woman who nobody understood. She had become a champion of darkness, consumed with the burning fires of hate, passion, and lust. It had come to dominate her personality and her character. She was also more powerful than she ever could have imagined. Her magical talents were second only to Selene and her hexing powers had become a vital tool. But as much as she had changed, her life still revolved around one simple goal and that was to serve Mistress Selene.

Wanda had been working with her in the shadows for years now, lying to her brother and everyone else in the Hellfire Club. The more she lied the more she relied on Mistress Selene. And the more she relied on her, the more dedicated she became to her cause. It was a self-reinforcing cycle and it had gotten to a point where she knew no other will than that of her Mistress. If she decreed it, she would carry it out. And last night she decreed to her that she was to break her long standing vow never to come to this place. It was necessary if they were to carry out the task that lay before them.

Muir Island was silent for the most part. Forge was away on some trip with Xavier so the only major presence on the island was the various Hellfire workers who carried out the day to day tasks of managing this advanced facility. Mistress Selene had already organized her trip, making sure Xavier didn't know too much about it and that it would not appear in the logs. As far as he was concerned they were on a mission searching for mystical artifacts being pursued by the Hand. And for anybody who did take note, Wanda made sure they kept it to themselves. But as she made her way through the bowls of the facility, she couldn't help but be a little tense. Her partner and lover, Kurt, took notice.

"How are you holding up, my love?" he asked her.

"I'll manage," said Wanda in her usual dark tone.

"Are you sure? You look very anxious and I don't like to see you anxious, liebe."

"I'm not anxious, Kurt," she said sternly, "I'm just a little unnerved about being here."

"Of course," he said meekly, "Please forgive my insinuations, but I was just concerned. It has been a long time since you've seen him, after all."

"As far as I'm concerned, it hasn't been long enough. But personal bitterness aside, this is what Mistress Selene wants. She says if her plan is to succeed, we'll need him as a puppet and a tool."

Kurt nodded in affirmation, not arguing with his love or Mistress Selene's orders. If this is what she wanted they were in no position to question her. And he was in no position to question Wanda. His love for her trumped every other desire and reason. Nothing else mattered. He knew it was wrong on some levels, but he was too deep into this pit of darkness to turn back now.

After passing through several layers of the best security Hellfire's wealth and power could afford, Wanda and Kurt stood at the final barrier. It was heavily guarded by several masked Hellfire guards armed with some of the most advanced lethal weapons in the world. They didn't say a word when they saw her. They knew better than to speak directly to a representative of the Inner Circle. But Wanda didn't give them any orders at first. Instead she just stood there staring intently at the door, her fists clenching at the knowledge of who was on the other side. A lot of pent up feelings coursed through her as she contemplated what she was about to do. But she set those feelings aside for the sake of her duty.

"Open it," she commanded the guards.

"We're sorry, Miss, but before we can let you in we must…"

But Wanda wouldn't hear it. Her eyes flashed purple as she used her hex powers to levitate the insolent man and his associates and fill them with shots of blinding pain.

"That was not a request!" she yelled angrily, "Open the damn door or I'll rip the flesh clean from your bones!"

"Y-Y-Yes, Madam Wanda!" the masked guard cowered.

Wanda let the man and his associates go, giving them one last shock to reinforce her point. Then without another word, the men went about opening the numerous electronic and mechanical locks meant to keep this door closed and the occupant inside contained. It took a good five minutes of entering codes and overriding certain fail-safes. But when the door finally opened, Wanda took a deep breath and entered with Kurt following closely.

The guards left her to her own devices as she tenuously walked into the spacious yet secure room. Her vision narrowed as she headed towards the central area. There a familiar pelxiglass dome dominated the area. In that dome was a man she hoped to never see again. But as she walked up to the barrier she saw him and greeted him with two simple words.

"Hello father."

From inside the dome, Eric Lensherr, barely looked up. He had been playing a game of chess with himself, hopelessly lost in thought. The look on his face was hardly the one of a man happy to see his daughter after all this time. But five years locked in this cell had taken its toll on the once proud mutant leader.

"Wanda…" he said in a distant tone, "Is that really you?"

"You're not dreaming, father. It's me."

Erik got up from the chair next to his bed and carefully made his way to the wall of his cell. Wanda was a bit surprised to see how pathetic he looked. He was very pale and his body was thin and weakened from years of being cooped up in this cell. His eyes had dark circles under them, hinting he hadn't slept much in his time here. Overall, he looked much weaker than the man who so boldly led the Brotherhood to their demise. But hopefully he still had some fight left in him.

"My god…you've grown so much, Wanda," said the old mutant as he took in his daughter's appearance.

"Yes, five years and some surgery on the side will do that," she said, her tone still laced with scorn.

"Indeed," said Magneto distantly, "And what is that bawdy outfit you're wearing?"

"Don't even try and begin to lecture me on my choice of clothes. I didn't come to catch up on lost time and I didn't come here without reservation," said Wanda firmly, "I'm here on a very special assignment."

"An assignment?" the old man scoffed, "For who? Xavier? Did he finally grown tired of watching me suffer and send you to finish me?"

"Believe me, nobody has grown tired of watching you suffer, myself included. As far as I'm concerned you deserve far worse than these generous accommodations Charles Xavier has given you. But my concerns are irrelevant. I'm only here because I know you'll listen to me and take whatever it is I offer more seriously."

"And just what makes you so sure of that?"

"Because I'm your daughter and you have a weakness for your children. You always have."

Magneto didn't like the dark undertone to her voice. It bore little resemblance to the Wanda he knew five years ago. There was also a very dark look to her eyes. In them he could see just a trace of how much she had changed in the time they had been apart. It was a disturbing yet intriguing sight. But she was right and couldn't turn away from her.

"I don't want to drag this out into a family affair so I'll just come out and say it," Wanda went on, "Someone in our organization is getting ready to take on Charles Xavier and she wants you to help us."

"Someone wants to fight Charles and needs my help? Give me a moment while I wrap my head around that," said Erik, almost humored by such a notion.

"Trust me, father, we don't NEED your help to fight Xavier. We can do just fine on our own. But the woman who sent me here knows Xavier almost as well as you do. She knows its best not to take any chances with him. And since he threw you in this cage five years ago, we're all assuming you want a chance to get back at him."

"Believe me, Wanda, nothing would make me happier than to see Charles pay for what he's put me through. But I am not so naïve to trust just anybody. I don't even know who this woman is that you speak of."

"She's a woman with dreams and ambitions just like you," said Wanda firmly, "She's also very powerful and determined. She could just as easily make you suffer even more in this laughable prison, but she's giving you a chance to be a fighter again and I wouldn't take that chance lightly."

"You almost sound as though you're threatening me. Is that how this 'organization' of yours taught you to treat your father?"

"This 'organization' taught me many things. But like everything else, its days are numbered. There is something much bigger brewing and you have a chance to be a part of it."

"And why would I want that? Why would I want to help the very people who helped imprison me in this damned cell?"

The old man was being stubborn. Wanda anticipated something this, but she didn't anticipate it being this annoying. She clenched her fists in anger and resisted the urge to hex this man to death and send him to Hell where he belonged. But she held back, remembering that she had a job to do in the name of Mistress Selene.

"Father…Magneto…when you first came to me and Pietro, you talked about exacting justice on those who hurt our family. And we believed you. We wanted justice, but in reality it was just blind anger."

"Yes…I remember," said the old man distantly, "Is that why you left me and joined my enemies?"

"No," said Wanda sternly, "We left you because we were given a chance to obtain more than just justice or vengeance. We were given a chance at real power…power that we could use to enforce our own means of justice. That's what you never understood. Power by brute force only goes so far, but real power can do so much more."

Wanda almost sounded like he once did years ago, only she had more focus and breadth to her ambitions. She touched on things he only realized after Xavier bested him. And for the first time he actually felt a glimmer of hope in his otherwise bleak existence.

"We are on the verge of tapping power the likes of which you never imagined," said Wanda as she gazed at her father intently, "This is beyond just mutant powers. This is beyond even the power of authority. I'm talking about power in the sense that the gods of mythology wielded. And you could be a part of it too if you're willing to stop being such a pitiful old man and fight again!"

Magneto was silent for a moment. He just stood inches from the glass, looking her in the eye with those tired, weak eyes that embodied his broken spirit. Wanda looked just about ready to lose it when to her surprise, the man actually smiled and laughed.

"Wanda…my dear daughter," he said with a level of humor she had never seen in him before, "So you finally got it? You got what you and your brother never understood yet I tried to teach you all those years ago."

"What are you talking about? And why the hell are you smiling so much?!" Wanda demanded.

"I can't help it. I'm finally genuinely proud of you," he said, still laughing, "Years ago, you would have hesitated before taking charge like this. You would have been weary about seizing such power, afraid of your limits and how far you might take it. But it appears this organization I despise so much for imprisoning me taught you what I couldn't. It taught you that to truly become dominant you have to wield power above those weaker than you. And you're doing it now in ways I wish you would have done years ago."

Wanda never cared all that much about her father's approval. She only used to follow him because he was her father and it was what she was supposed to do. But now as she looked at him, seeing a life in his eyes she hadn't seen before, she actually felt vindicated. She was more like her father than she expected and for the first time in her life that didn't seem like such a bad thing.

"Glad I could finally make you proud," she said with a smug grin, "So does that mean you're in? Are you going to help us overthrow Xavier?"

"For a chance to fight alongside my children again…why not?" said the master of magnetism, "But if I am to assist you I'll need to be let out of this cage."

"No worries there, father. We have that all taken care of," grinned Wanda as she turned to her lover, who had been waiting behind her, "Kurt, if you please…"

"Of course, my love."

Stepping forward, Kurt teleported into the chamber and appeared next to Magneto. Then he grabbed his shoulder and teleported him out so he appeared right next to Wanda. The young man's appearance was a bit unexpected, but once he was finally out of his cell he could care less and embraced his newfound freedom.

"Welcome to our cause, Herr Magneto," said Kurt respectfully.

"Thank you, boy," he said with an approving smile, "Now what about that pesky damper that has been holding back my powers."

"Allow me to take care of that," said Wanda.

The young woman clenched her fists and summoned a tidal wave of hexing and mystical energy. Her eyes started glowing brightly and her hands glowed as well in a burning red ball of flaming light. The energy around her was so intense Erik was forced to take a step back. Then with a determined and powerful grunt, she unleashed a powerful wave of hex energy that caused every metal sheet and facet in the area to buckle violently and all the dampeners that had been holding back his magnetic powers to shatter. It was an impressive display, bringing yet another proud smile to the old holocaust survivor. His daughter had truly come of age.

"Impressive," grinned Magneto.

"She's capable of much more," assured Kurt.

With the area now damaged and the power dampeners destroyed, Magneto felt his abilities return to him. But just as his strength began returning to him, a series of glaring alarms erupted throughout the facility. Every guard was now probably going to bear down on them. It was bound to get messy, but after being caged for all these years the master of magnetism was not in a good mood. He was ready to start taking it out on somebody.

"I think Charles is going to know about this," he commented.

"Don't worry about that. Just do what I say and it will all come together in the end," said Wanda, her eyes still glowing, "Let's just get out of here."

"Lead the way, my daughter," said the master of magnetism intently.

An army of guards was going to descend on them. The entire facility was probably going to be locked down too. But Magneto wasn't at all concerned. He was going to tear through whatever and whoever he needed to in order to get his freedom. Wanda, now fully charged with hexing energy, led the way. Most of the guards were armed with weapons specifically designed to counter his magnetic powers so they had little or no defense against Wanda. He watched as she started maiming the first wave of guards, not even flinching when they cried out in agony. She was ruthless, cunning, and unyielding. It couldn't have made him more proud.

He didn't care if he was going to have to help the very organization that helped imprison him. He didn't care who this woman was that Wanda spoke so highly of. The only thing on his mind now was vengeance. Charles Xavier took everything from him and locked him in a cage where he nearly went mad from isolation. Now he was going to make him pay. He was going to pay dearly and suffer for everything he ever did.

* * *

**X-Industrial Training Arena**

Since the Hand began stepping up their attacks on the Hellfire Club, the pawns of the Inner Circle underwent extra training. Many of the younger female pawns, except Psylocke, were excused from sex work until this issue was resolved. But at the rate things were going, it wasn't going to be resolved anytime soon. Few days went by without some sort of incident. Most were small and some were larger. But they were adding up and the Black King urged his pawns to be ready for a major, crushing sweep. He, like the rest of them, were tired of the Hand meddling in Hellfire affairs. The sooner they got rid of them the sooner they could get back to building up their power.

It was late in the day and many of the Hellfire Pawns were entering their third straight hour of training. Warpath, Warren, and Piotr were overseeing the development of an elite squat of Hellfire's mercenary army. Jean was working with some Hellfire mystics in a special area where she could practice her psychic and mystical powers. Logan and Mystique were working with Bobby, Jubilee, Sam, Roberto, and Tabitha in the simulation arena. Pietro and Monet were working with Laura, Julian, Kitty, and Lorna on sparring and assassination training. Danielle was supposed to join them, but she got called away an hour ago by Xavier to do an extra shift at Club Hellfire. It seemed odd, but nobody gave it much thought considering her unique powers required different training anyways. Kurt and Wanda were also absent. Selene sent them out on some mission in Europe chasing after some mystical relics that the Hand was pursuing. They didn't give many details, but that's how most missions were when they involved magic.

And in a corner just outside the training arena, Scott was trying to give Alex some special training. After the incident in Sacramento, he was on a short leash and Scott was trying to get through to him. But he wasn't making it easy on him.

"Damn it, Alex! This is supposed to be training with no powers!" cursed Scott as Alex blasted him again in the face just as he was about to take him down again.

"Well what do you expect me to do?" replied Alex, "It's a reflex. I sense I'm in trouble, I fire a blast. You can't expect me to control that."

"That 'reflex' as you call it is why you made such a mess of things back in Sacramento!" Scott reminded him.

"Damn it, Scott! How many times are you going to bring that up? Didn't I pay for that enough with that 'lecture' Lord Xavier gave me that included a psychic induced migraine?"

"You're lucky that's all the punishment you got!" warned Scott, "Don't think he'll be so lenient next time. That's why I need you to listen to me and take this seriously! I don't want to see you endure any more punishments."

"Says you," he muttered under his breath.

"What was that?" said Scott, having heard him mutter something.

"Nothing," said Alex flatly, "Let's just get this over with so I can move onto my next big fuck up for you."

"Stop thinking like that and you won't have to!"

"Whatever," he said, rolling his eyes.

Scott grunted in frustration as he began another sparring session with his brother. He came at him with some low kicks and grapple maneuvers, but Alex barely dodged them and just kept playing down to him. It was not the kind of progress he hoped for his brother. These past few months he had been regressing. He wasn't even trying anymore. It seemed as though nothing he did got through to him anymore. It was disturbing and Scott was determined to keep it from getting worse.

Not far from where Scott and Alex were sparring, Lorna watched over them with a look of concern. Like Scott, she had noticed a change in Alex these past few months as well. He wasn't like the guy she connected with her first day at the Hellfire Club anymore. He became so distant and dark. Even when they had sex, he just seemed like he was somewhere else. It was like he was waiting for something and each passing day he was getting more bored. He stopped opening up to her long ago, but she wasn't ready to give up on him.

"Why are you still hung up on that guy?" asked Pietro, who noticed how she was looking at Alex.

"He's a friend, Pietro. He's special to me," she told him, "It's no different then how you're still hung up on Wanda."

"That's different. Wanda's my twin sister. This is a guy who treats everybody like they're in his way. I'm surprised Xavier didn't kicked him out after that last stunt he pulled."

"That wasn't his fault!" said Lorna defensively, "He acted on an impulse. You do it all the time!"

"At least I take a little more time to think about it," retorted Pietro.

Lorna was silent. This was a difficult issue for her. No matter how much Pietro disapproved, Lorna was still drawn to Alex. He had given up trying to understand why, but it continued to affect her. And if it affected her, it affected him as well.

"Lorna, I know you have a thing for the guy," said the speedster, trying to be a bit more sincere, "But you have to face facts. Alex Summers is a jerk."

"Maybe he is, but he didn't used to be," she said distantly.

"Well he is now and the quicker you accept that the less it will hurt. Trust me, I know what it's like. This place changes people. And sometimes it changes people for the worse."

Pietro's assessment was grim. But he wasn't the kind of person who had a lot of hope in people. Either people changed for the worse or they didn't change at all. It wasn't a view Lorna shared, but the more she looked at Alex and the way he carried himself the more lost he seemed. She thought they had something. She wanted to believe they still did. But Alex just wouldn't stop drifting away. It was disheartening, but unlike Pietro she didn't want to give up hope.

Pietro slipped an arm around her and turned her back towards sparring. Sometimes the best way to get over frustration was to practice beating the living hell out of someone.

"Are you finished moping, Lorna? You're falling behind," said Monet snide look.

"Lay off, Monet. You're not the only one in charge last I checked," retorted Pietro.

"Of course. She just happens to get special treatment because she's your half-sister," she replied dryly, "I'll bet if she wasn't you wouldn't give a damn. Hell, you'd probably just sleep with her."

That comment was enough to send even Lorna over the edge.

"Okay, just for that you and I are going next!" she said angrily.

"Finally, a little spirit!" grinned Monet as she prepared to face the younger woman.

Lorna literally lunged at Monet, bent on hurting her in whatever way she could despite all that power she wielded. She didn't care. She just wanted to wipe that snide look off her face. Monet was still able to dodge and counter thanks to her superior reflexes, but Lorna kept at it just to prove she wouldn't take it.

Their fight caused enough of a scene for Julian, Kitty, and Laura to take notice. They disliked Monet and her snide ways as much as Lorna, but comments like that crossed a line.

"Damn, Monet sure knows how to push peoples' buttons," commented Julian.

"Yeah, she actually reduced herself to making incest jokes," said Kitty, cringing when she saw Lorna deliver a solid right hook to Monet's jaw, "Remind me again why she's been allowed to work her way up so quickly?"

"Because she more advanced mutant powers, she's smarter, and she's been taking extra lessons from Selene," Laura answered bluntly, "And judging by her choice of tactics, I'd say she's taken to those lessons pretty strongly."

"That's not necessarily a good thing, Laura," said Kitty.

"I never said it was."

They continued to watch Lorna spar with Monet. At the rate they were going they would be at it for quite a while. It was distressing to see someone as powerful and smart as Monet taking closely to Selene. Her grit and drive was well-suited for the Hellfire Club, but it was her personality that was annoying. And given her desire to be perfect, it would take something pretty major to bring her down.

Over in the training simulator, Mystique and Logan were watching closely as Bobby, Jubilee, Sam, Roberto, and Tabitha completed another simulation. The scenario was simple enough. They were supposed to kill as many Hand assassins as possible and take down specially marked leaders for extra points. So far they were doing pretty well. They had all made progress since the early days of their training. The usual yelling Logan had to do in order to get them coordinated was a thing of the past. They were pretty good at coordinating themselves now. Sam took on somewhat of a leadership role, directing Bobby and Jubilee to focused attacks while Roberto and Tabitha provided backup. But Roberto and Tabitha were still a bit unfocused at times. They still liked to do their own thing, but they were pretty efficient when it came to taking down enemies. They had no qualms about being a little extra brutal, which was good in some ways and disturbing in others.

"Bobby, Ah need a wall! Jubilee, back me up! I'm going in for the final blow!" Sam commanded as he took to the air.

"Sure thing, Sammy boy!" said Jubilee as she just fried the skin off a nearby assassin, "Just watch your eyes. I'm going for some extra sparks this time to blind them!"

"Remind me to get sunglasses," said Bobby, "I'll wall them in!"

Bobby did as Sam instructed and formed a massive ice wall to box the team of assassins in while Jubilee shot of a round of extra bright fireworks to disorient them until Sam flew in and hit the marked leader right in the center. He hit him so hard his body was twisted beyond recognition. If it had been a real human and not just a simulation, it would have been pretty messy.

Not to be outdone, Roberto and Tabitha coordinated for a little attack of their own on the other end. Tabitha was making an extra powerful load of cherry bombs and literally showering any nearby assassin who tried to attack. Some exploded right in their faces and blinded them, allowing Roberto to charge through them, grab the marked leader by the neck, and snap it like a twig.

"Too easy! Keep that shower coming, Tabby!" Roberto called out.

"I will so long as you keep busting heads, handsome!" said Tabitha with a sadistic grin.

From the side, Logan and Raven took note of their tactics. They were impressive for their age. While most teenagers were off worrying about school and what not, these kids were learning how to fight, deal, and kill if necessary. The change in them was striking. They had a different look in their eyes from the recruits that first entered. But for some, that look was more prevalent than others.

"They're doing okay for themselves," commented Raven.

"Yeah…" agreed Logan, "Not bad for a bunch of runts."

"Will you ever stop calling them that?" the shape shifter chided.

"Not any time soon," he answered, "They still got a lot to learn. Sam's done okay for himself. He's got leadership. That ain't something you can teach. Bobby and Jubes ain't hesitating as much as they used to and they're pushing themselves harder. Same with Danielle, but she uses more brain than brute force."

"With powers like hers, she has to be," said Mystique, "Where is she anyways?"

"Ah Lord Xavier said she had to fill in at Club Hellfire tonight. Says some big client is coming in and he's got a thing for Native American chicks. Go figure."

Mystique rolled her eyes. Even during times of conflict like this, the Hellfire Club had to maintain some level of normalcy. And the pawns weren't relieved of their duties at the club, especially the younger ones.

"So overall, do you think they're ready for a major challenge?"

"That's hard to tell," sighed Logan, "They've come a long way, but they still got a ways to go in terms of maturity."

"I take it you're referring to Roberto and Tabitha."

Logan looked over at them to see Roberto literally decapitate an assassin while Tabitha literally shoved some bombs down the shirts and pants of others, blowing off body parts and limbs with reckless abandon. It was efficient, but what was disturbing was how much they seemed to enjoy it.

"That's another story," he muttered, "They got grit, I'll give em that. But they're enjoying this a little too much."

"So you've noticed it too," said Raven, "Where do you think that came from? I don't remember seeing that from them early on."

"In a place like this, it could come from anywhere. I've lost count how many times Lord Xavier's lectured them. I get the feeling they stopped caring long ago."

"That usually means one of two things, you know," said the shape shifter.

"What do you mean?" asked Logan.

"Either they've been getting lessons from someone else or they just developed a taste for it over time. And I think you and I both know which is more likely."

Logan grumbled under his breath as he watched Tabitha and Roberto continue their rampage. He knew what Raven was implying, but he didn't want to say it out loud. He worked with Tabitha and Roberto early on and he knew their tendencies. This change in them happened pretty abruptly. One day they were slackers who just didn't mind being ruthless once in a while and the next day they relished in it. It was subtle at first, but lately it was becoming more pronounced. He wasn't sure why, but it had some disturbing implications.

Across the arena Warpath, Warren, and Piotr were going over plans to mobilize more forces against the Hand. The Hellfire Club had always maintained a vast secret army of mercenaries and specially trained assassins. But lately it had been stretched pretty thin fighting the Hand. At times the size of their force was a weakness because it gave the Hand more targets to hit. They had already taken some significant losses, but they were far from defeated.

"So this is it? These are our top assassins?" said Warren, sounding somewhat unimpressed.

"Of course it's not everything, Warren," said Warpath dryly, "These are just some of our best. Lord Xavier said if we're to strike back against the Hand, we have to be more strategic. We can't keep playing defense."

"That's easier said than done, comrade," said Piotr, "It seems no matter what we do, the Hand is a step ahead of us. They know when, where, and how to strike us."

"Then we'll have to get a step ahead of them," said the Apache warrior, "I've already talked to Lord Xavier about this. He agrees the Hand must have a mole or spy within the organization. It's the only way they could hit us like this!"

"Well if we know then why hasn't he weeded them out?" said Warren, "I thought he was the most powerful psychic in the world. Is he being lazy or something?"

"I'd take this a bit more seriously, Warren," said Warpath in a threatening tone, "Keep making comments like that and people will start to suspect you're the spy!"

"Me? Don't be ridiculous," he laughed, "Why would I want to betray the organization that has given me so much? Why if it weren't for the Hellfire Club, I could still be running around in some spandex uniform playing hero. Being a power broker and the head of a multi-billion dollar company is so much more fulfilling."

His tone was dry and crass. James Poundstar still didn't like it, but Warren had a point. He was too self-absorbed to be a spy. He was almost disappointed. He would have loved to have an excuse to rip off those wings of his and beat him to a pulp for the attitude he kept giving him.

"So who could it be?" inquired Piotr, staying between James in Warren so a fight didn't break out.

"That we'll have to leave to Lord Xavier," said Warpath, "He's been doing extra sweeps with Cerebrum lately. He's conducting another one now as we speak."

"You mean he's reading all our minds right now to check and make sure we're not spies?" said Piotr, finding that thought a little strange.

"Yep, and he probably just heard that," said Warpath, "So think happy thoughts because you know Xavier's reading them."

"I'm sure he is," said Warren with a half grin, "But that's okay with me. I've got nothing to hide."

"I find that hard to believe," scoffed Warpath.

"Oh come now, James. You sounds as though you're suspicious of me. Honestly, if I were plotting against everybody wouldn't someone have picked up on it? I'm just along for the ride. I'm ready to take whatever comes of all this."

"I wish we could all have your confidence, comrade," said Piotr.

"Try not to think of it as confidence. Think of it more as certainty," said Warren, "We're all on a set path. It's just a matter of making sure you reach the end you want to reach."

His ominous words offered some hallow comfort to Piotr and Warpath. As much as they didn't like Warren, there was some truth in his word. He had never been one for such musings, but there was usually a hint of truth to them. It still didn't sit right.

But Warren could care less about whether or not they heeded his words. He didn't even care if Xavier was reading his thoughts. Mistress Selene already assured him that his mind was safe thanks to some special shielding spells. Even though he didn't know the details to her plans, she wasn't going to drop him any hints. He, like the rest of those that followed Mistress Selene, were just biding their time and waiting for their time to come. He wasn't worried about the current state of affairs. He was confident that whatever Mistress Selene had in store for them, it would all pan out in favor of darkness.

Back in the training arena, Jean Grey was still hard at work on her abilities. She was currently training with a couple of mid-level mystics that the Hellfire Club employed, casting spells and working them in with her mutant abilities. Since the Hand was known for using magic as well, Lord Xavier wanted her to be ready should the challenge arise. Even though Wanda was more advanced than her, she didn't have his trust. So that meant she was going to have to step it up and after the emotional turmoil she endured with the Scott/Logan/Emma affair that was going to be a challenge.

Her exercises consisted of using mid-level defensive and attack spells. One mystic would randomly fire an attack of mystic bolts at her and she was supposed to cast a spell to defend herself and then counter. Then the other mystics would follow with attacks of their own, throwing in a little deception as well so she couldn't always key in on who was attacking her. It forced her to be more focused. She took some hits at first, but she was getting the hang of it.

"Let's change it up," she told them, "Start the attacks faster."

"As you wish, my lady," said one of the mystics.

Taking deep breaths, Jean prepared for more attacks. This time she used her telekinesis a bit more to repel them. Red and yellow bolts of energy surged at her. When she wasn't able to dodge them she formed a powerful orange/red barrier to protect herself and countered with glowing bolts of her own. They weren't the most spectacular sights feats she had done, but they got the job done. And she knew she was capable of so much more.

While Jean was focused on her training along with everybody else, a pair of angry eyes stared at her from afar. Up in the observation deck, Emma Frost had been keeping her distance from the rest of the pawns. Ever since the incident with Scott, she couldn't stand to be in the same room as that woman. She went out of her way to avoid her and Scott, not even wanting to look them in the eye. They avoided her as well so the distance between them was vast. And that was just fine with her. It gave her time to plan and prepare for getting even.

Placing her hand on the glass walls, her expression tensed in a fit of anger as she remembered the pain and heartbreak she suffered because of Scott and Jean. It still stung with each passing day. Every time she thought about it a rage inside her burned. Going through this once was hard enough. Going through it again was even worse. She wasn't going to let this stand. She wasn't the kind of person to just forgive and forget. She would get her chance to make Scott and Jean pay. Monet was already helping her. She still didn't trust that woman fully, but so long as she kept her promise she was willing to risk it.

Emma didn't care about the Hand or whatever affair was going on in the Inner Circle. She didn't care about petty squabbles between the pawns or growing suspicions of a spy. All that mattered was her plans for vengeance. That took precedence over everything else. Whatever price she had to pay to see it through, she would pay it. She didn't care about the consequences. She just wanted Scott and Jean to know the kind of torment they put her through.

'_Soon…you'll both pay for what you did very soon.'_

_

* * *

_**X-Industrial – Cerebrum**

Charles Xavier had been pushing his abilities further than usual lately. Even for the most powerful psychic in the world, maintaining the massive power structure of the Hellfire Club while fighting a war with the Hand and keeping an eye on Sinister and Selene was draining. He had been putting a lot of extra hours with Cerebrum. Most of the time he was scanning minds for clues to the Hand's vulnerabilities, shifting and rearranging the layout of his wealth and power to make it less vulnerable to attack, and manipulating the media in order to cover up any incident that could garner suspicion. He occasionally had to infiltrate the minds of heroes as well such as the Avengers, Spider-Man, and the Fantastic Four in order to keep them off his back. The last thing he needed was another powerful force attacking his organization.

In addition, he also made regular scans through the minds of the pawns. He knew someone had to be leaking information to the Hand. He just couldn't figure out who it was. He had his suspicions though. There were a number of minds he had trouble infiltrating. Wanda, Kurt, Tabitha, Roberto, Warren, Alex, and Monet were difficult to read at times. So was Emma, but that was due to the advanced psychic skills he taught her. What was different about the others were they had taken somewhat strongly to Selene's ideas more than his. That meant their minds were shrouded not by psychic shields, but by the power of darkness. He suspected Selene was behind it. She was the only one powerful enough to escape his detection. He kept trying to find ways of getting around that, but it was always a challenge.

'_Where is it? You're hiding it, Selene. I know you are. Just what are you hiding? How does the Hand fit into it? I must know. I will not let you destroy what I have worked so hard to create.'_

Sighing to himself, Xavier took off the main helmet and set it aside to rest his tired mind. As powerful as he was, this process was still draining. It always left him with a major headache, but it was the price he had to pay for such power and wealth. Even though he had manipulated countless minds and infiltrated many networks, his secret empire was still far from secure. It would only take one major incident and it would all be threatened.

Just as he was rubbing his sore temples, a blaring alarm went off. Several screens started flashing a red alert, indicating an incident of the gravest severity. Ignoring his headache, Xavier put the helmet back on and started bringing up the main controls. When he saw where the alarm was coming from he grimaced.

"No…Magneto!"

As streams of data came pouring in, the chamber doors opened and Sage came rushing in. Her usual stoic expression was wrought with alarm and rightfully so.

"Lord Xavier! I just got a call from what's left of Muir Island! Magneto has somehow escaped!"

"Yes Sage, I am seeing it now," said Xavier grimly.

Video feeds of security monitors came up. Most were scrambled due to magnetic interference, but what few images visible. Most were grizzly accounts of Magneto eviscerating every guard and soldier that got in his way. Being confined and imprisoned in a cell for five years left him very angry to say the least and he was taking it out on anything remotely associated with him.

"How could he have escaped?" said Sage, "Forge built that system and I programmed it myself! There's no way it could have malfunctioned!"

"I believe you," said Xavier, "There may be other forces at work though. It's the only logical explanation."

"But there are only so many people who knew about where he was being kept," reminded Sage, "You know what that could mean. This 'spy' in our midst is growing bolder."

Xavier was silent for a moment. He understood fully the implications of what Sage was implying. It was something he tried to prepare himself for, but nothing could have prepared him for a move like this.

"Perhaps…or maybe this 'spy' is just taking it to the next level," said the Black King, "I'll see if I can coordinate a containment unit. I have some mercenaries in Europe that may be able to…"

But before he could finish another alarm came up. Only this one was different than before. It indicated significant levels of electromagnetic activity. It was causing widespread disruption within not just Hellfire's network, but every network in the world. Magneto was indeed growing bold. It was his way of letting him know that he was out and he was ready to strike back. Then a blaring psychic message came booming in through the system.

"Augh!" grunted Charles as he keeled over and removed the helmet.

"Lord Xavier, sir!" said Sage as she rushed over to help him, "What happened? Are you alright?"

"I'm fine, Sage," said Xavier, struggling back to his feet, "I just got an unusually strong psychic message. Magneto is practically yelling at me with their mind. He knows I'm listening. He wants my attention."

"I think it's safe to say he has it," said Sage, "Hold on, I'll bring it up on the monitors so you don't have to bear that bastards thoughts."

The Black King leaned on the console for support, watching as Sage worked quickly to patch the psychic message into a video feed. It took her only about ten seconds and as soon as she was done, the main video monitor came on and an ominous image of the master of magnetism flashed before them.

'_CHARLES! I KNOW YOU CAN HEAR ME! YOU THINK YOU CAN JUST LOCK ME IN A CAGE, STEAL MY CHILDREN, AND BE DONE WITH ME? IT'S TIME YOU AND ME SETTLE THIS ONCE AND FOR ALL? I'M COMING FOR YOU, CHARLES! I'M ON MY WAY TO NEW YORK! IF YOU AREN'T THERE I'LL START DESTROYING EVERYTHING IN MY PATH UNTIL I FIND YOU! I DON'T CARE IF I HAVE TO TEAR THIS WORLD APART! I WILL FIND YOU AND I WILL MAKE YOU SUFFER EVERY BIT AS MUCH AS YOU'VE MADE ME SUFFER!'_

The scrambled video link then went down as Magneto closed his mind off. The system tried to zero in on him again, but his mind was shielded. He most likely put that helmet of his back on. Whoever helped him escape must have given it to him. Now he was probably flying across the Atlantic on a supersonic magnetic field with rage in his eyes. Xavier knew him well enough to know he was serious when he said he would tear the world apart to get to him. But he couldn't have that. This world was destined to be under his control. He wasn't about to let his old friend ruin everything by creating chaos.

"How do we take care of this, Lord Xavier?" asked Sage.

"Simple Sage. I'll just have to kill him," said the Black King in a dark tone, "I've made him suffer enough. Now this has to end."

Despite his throbbing head, he put the Cerebrum helmet back on and prepared to send out another message.

"You know what to do, Sage. Make it happen."

Sage's expression went stoic and she nodded in affirmation. She had a feeling this moment would eventually come and it was finally upon them. She had her role and like everyone else, she had to do her part.

As Sage walked off, Xavier recalibrated Cerebrum so that it would send out a message that would only be heard by the pawns.

'_Attention all Hellfire Pawns. This is a code red emergency. Magneto has escaped from Muir Island. I do not know how as of yet, but he is on his way to New York. I want every one of you to suit up and intercept him. I do not want to take any chances this time. You are to kill Magneto on sight. No torture. No taunting. Just kill him. This must end.'_

_

* * *

_**Moria's Office**

As soon as Xavier gave the order for the pawns to mobilize against Magneto, Moria went to work organizing the next step. She rushed to her office where she ordered some transports be set up at X-Industrial to take the pawns into the field. It was just after sunset so they would have to get around in helicopters to avoid the traffic. They would also have to use special helicopters so they could resist Magneto's magnetic powers. On short notice that wasn't going to be easy, but they would have to make due.

"The transports should be arriving in five minutes, Scott. They'll take you anywhere in the city," she said over a video link on her computer, "According to Charles, Magneto is heading towards the harbor. He should be arriving in less than fifteen minutes."

"_We'll be waiting for him. Any word yet on how he got out?"_

"We're still investigating it. But there is a chance he had help. If that's the case, be extra vigilant. Whoever helped him break out might help him in his attack."

"_We'll be careful. I can see the helicopters now. I'll contact you as soon as we land. Just keep the area clear so we don't attract any undue attention."_

"Aye. I've already sent a decoy message to the Avengers and Fantastic Four," said Moria strongly, "Good luck, Scott. If you see a shot, take it. This man has been a thorn in our side for too long."

"_I'll take him down. He'll wish he stayed in that cage of his. Over and out."_

Moria closed the link and resumed typing, sending out messages and commands throughout the Hellfire network to keep this incident quiet. She even sent a message to SHIELD, making sure they didn't investigate too deeply into the destruction of Muir Island. She also sent them a few phony tips so they would be distracted while the pawns handled Magneto. Hopefully they could finish this quickly. The last thing they needed was for this affair to be blown out of proportion.

As she was working feverishly, there was an urgent knock on her door.

"Mom! It's me, I need to talk to you!" said Rahne as she came barging in.

"Rahne? What are ye doing here, lass? I thought ye were going with the others to fight Magneto."

"I was. But then I got a call from Forge in Paris. He says he picked up on a strange signal in our network just after Magneto broke out. I don't think Lord Xavier noticed it because it happened during that electromagnetic storm."

"Damn that Magneto," said Moria angrily, "What kind of signal was it?"

"He said he wasn't sure. But it was being directed towards the manor."

"Which one?"

"This one!" said Rahne, "And it seems to be focusing on our security system."

Moria's expression hardened. Without saying another word she opened the drawer of her desk and took out an advanced, high powered laser rifle. Since she didn't have any mutant powers, she always made sure she was near a weapon. She also made sure it was a powerful weapon. Rahne picked up on this and knew what she had in mind.

"We better get every one of our security personnel mobilized. If that signal is what I think it is we may have been breached. We should probably lock everything down as well."

"What about the others? And what about Lord Xavier?" asked Rahne as she followed her mother out of her office, "Shouldn't we let them know?"

"They have enough to be concerned with already. We'll take care of this ourselves."

Arming her weapon, Moria stormed out into the hall ready to move. If the manor had been breached they had to act fast. Moria took out her cell phone and prepared to make a call to their security forces within the manner. But then Rahne stopped following her suddenly.

"Rahne, come on! We have to move!" Moria ordered.

"No wait…something's wrong," she said, taking on a predatory stance, "I…I thought I smelled something."

Moria heeded her daughters keen senses and started looking around, keeping her weapon cocked and ready.

"What is it? What do you smell?" she asked intently.

"I'm not sure. But it's close…too close," said Rahne.

The young mutant woman began carefully following her senses. They were coming from some area down the hall. Moria followed closely, ready to shoot at the slightest provocation. It was eerily quiet, which was not uncommon in a manor as big as this. But the usual masked guards that often walked around were strangely absent and that was not a pleasant feeling. And whatever this scent was, it stank in a way that Rahne didn't like. Being a bounty hunter all these years gave her a keen sense of these things. And right not that sense was working overtime.

With her claws drawn and ready to pounce, Rahne looked shot out from behind the corner and looked down the next hall. Moria did the same, pointing her weapon down into the wide and spacious halls. But to their dismay, they saw nothing.

"Rahne?" Moria questioned, keeping her weapon drawn.

"I still smell it. It's close. We should be right on it."

Rahne kept following her nose. Then she came to a chilling realization.

"Or maybe…"

She began to look up. But just as she did a deafening howl rang out through the halls.

"RRRRRRAHHHHHHHHHHHH!"

From a small chandelier hanging overhead, Sabretooth leapt down in and descended upon them with rage in his eyes. How he got inside this deep into the manor was beyond comprehension, but Moria and Rahne didn't have time to rationalize. They had to act. But before Moria could turn her weapon towards the feral mutant, he knocked it out of her hand and slammed her against the wall with his fist.

"Ugh!" groaned Moria as she hit the wall, slumping over in pain.

"Mom!" exclaimed Rahne, "Ye son-of-a-bitch! You're dead!"

"Speak for yourself, runt!" growled Sabretooth with a predatory grin.

Rahne pounced on the nimble mutant, going straight for his neck. Sabretooth blocked them, allowing him to claw at his arms and torso. She tore off a good bit of his flesh, bloodying his clothes and causing some heavy bleeding. But it did little to stop the imposing mutant. In fact, he just kept on grinning.

"That all you got?" he taunted.

"Hrrrrraahhhhhhhh!" roared Rahne as she tried to pounce onto his head.

This time Sabretooth was ready for her. He let her get up onto his head and grab him by the neck. But by doing so he had her right where he wanted. While she was busy trying to slice his jugular, he grabbed her by the legs so she couldn't escape and rammed himself back into the wall as hard as he could. This crushed Rahne between the wall and his imposing body of muscle. Rahne let out a pained howl. He could feel a few of her bones break, but she still clung to him. Only now she was momentarily stunned. Not willing to give her another opening, Sabretooth grabbed her by the neck.

"You're a feisty little dog. I like it. But not enough to let you live!" said Sabretooth with a sadistic grin.

Rahne was in such a pained state she could barely move. Part of her spine might very well have been broken given all the force Sabretooth rammed her with. She kept struggling though and when Moria saw her in the feral mutants clutches she grabbed her gun and stumbled to her feet.

"No…" she grunted angrily, "Let my daughter go!"

"Oh no you don't!" said Sabretooth as he sprang into action.

Before Moria could fire, the former Weapon X product literally threw the injured Rahne across the hall. When she impacted Moria, she knocked the weapon out of her hand just as it fired. It missed him by at least two feet and the resulting impact knocked Rahne out cold. Moria was still conscious, but now she was really hurting. She coughed up some blood and clutched her arm. But she ignored her pain and kept trying to fight through it. Then Sabretooth moved in for the kill.

"Sorry babe, you ain't getting away from this," he growled.

He then grabbed both her and Rahne by the neck and pinned them up against the wall. Rahne's body was limp and Moria was clearly weakened. Under Sabretooth's tight grip she coughed up another round of blood. She continued to struggle, but there was no escaping.

"Ack! You…fucking…brute!" Moria choked, "You have…no idea…who you're…dealing with! I'll…make you…suffer!"

"You and your pet won't do shit, lady. Nothing personal, but I have my orders and you two are just in my way. I wish I could stick around and have some fun with you girls, but I got a Wolverine to hunt! When you get to Hell, tell 'em Sabretooth sent you!"

Then with a murderous grin, Victor Creed snapped the necks of the two women with his bear hands. He did it extra hard to make sure they were dead, leaving little room for error. He watched as their expressions twisted in one last twinge of torment. Blood was still dripping from their wounds and some of their limbs were mangled. It was a grizzly sight, but one Sabretooth was used to.

Once he was sure the two women were dead, he let their limp bodies fall unceremoniously to the floor. The first part of his mission was complete. He was one step closer to facing Wolverine. Now it was all on that spooky black-haired woman who brought him into this mess. Even by his standards she was a strange one, but if she could deliver on what she promised he could care less.

Reaching into his pocket, Sabretooth pulled out a special unmarked communicator.

"It's done," he said into it.

"_Excellent. Dispose of the bodies and meet me in the basement. The next phase of my plan is beginning to take shape."_

"Yeah, whatever lady. When am I going to get a chance at tearin' into Logan?" growled the former living weapon.

"_Patience Victor. You'll get your chance. I promise. Just do as you're told and you'll have a chance to inflict suffering on a level even you've never contemplated."_

Victor Creed couldn't help but grin. The thought of putting Logan through that torment was almost worth losing track of him over the past year.

"Selene…you're alright!" he grinned, "I'm on my way. Just don't rough em up too much. I want my shot."

Sabretooth put the communicator away and grabbed the bodies of the two women. He could already smell blood of his arch nemesis on his hands. He couldn't wait to tear into him. He waited a long time for this. Finally, he was going to get his shot. And he wasn't going to be subtle about it either. He was going to make sure Logan suffered long and hard. He escaped him last time. He wasn't going to escape this time. And if it meant going along with this strange woman and whatever sadistic plans she had so be it.

* * *

**Up next: Xavier and the pawns confront Magneto and face the shock of their lives.**

**AN: I hope you're enjoying this final entry into the New Blood Trilogy so far. Please remember to review. Send your feedback via email or post a review on the fanfiction website. And if you wish to see uncut scenes from every chapter so far, please check out the uncesnored version on the adultfanfiction website through a link on my profile. Thank you for reading thus far. I wish everybody the best.  
**


	9. Cold Vengeance

**New Blood  
Chapter 9: Cold Vengeance**

**AN: It's taken some effort, but here is the next chapter. Again, I apologize for the earlier difficulties. I was struggling with a lot of issues. But I had time to speak to The Writer With No Name, who has really helped me through. As such, this chapter and the rest of this story will be dedicated to him. I can't say this story will be as good as it would have been, but I'll try my best. Thank you, and again I deeply apologize.  
**

* * *

**Paris Hellfire Chateau – One Day Earlier**

Emma Frost never the trusting type. After being ignored by her parents and betrayed by Shanobi Shaw, she had been closed off to nearly everybody she came across. She gave some people the benefit of the doubt. She had to being the smart businesswoman she was. But some people just rubbed her the wrong way on every level. Selene was the most obvious example. But this woman, Monet, was right up there as well.

She agreed to accompany Monet on a business trip to Europe. A group of Hellfire investors had shown concern over the security of their holdings in wake of the Hand's recent attacks. Monet had ties to them so she was sent over to reassure them, by force if necessary. But she wasn't just going with her to help out with business. They were taking another trip on the side that was off the books. Normally, she would have reported something like that to Xavier. But today she was keeping quiet. It was all part of the deal she made with Monet to help her get back at Scott and Jean.

"We're here," said Monet as she and Emma arrived just outside the Chateau, "Are you ready, Emma?"

"Why do you bother asking?" said Emma in her usual coarse tone.

"Just making sure," Monet grinned, "We're officially off of Hellfire's books now, so let's make this quick."

Emma nodded and followed Monet out of the limousine that had been driving them around Paris. The chateau the Hellfire Club operated out of was every bit as opulent and luxurious as the manor back in New York. Like many other Hellfire structures, it had a distinctive Victorian style that fit in nicely with some of the older buildings throughout Paris. It had always been a favorite destination of Emma's. She often came here to unwind in between being a ruthless businesswoman and a rising member of the Inner Circle. But today it had a different feel.

"Greetings, Miss Frost. Greetings Miss St. Croix," the head guard greeted them, "I was not aware that you were visiting."

"We aren't," said Monet, "We're just here to run an errand. And you will not record it as such. Understand?"

Monet gave the man a stern look, making it clear she was serious. The guard, who knew the consequences of defying the Hellfire Club as well as any body, got the message.

"I…I understand," he said.

"Good, then please lead us to Forge," she commanded.

"Yes Ma'am," he said in a mechanical tone.

Monet grinned intently and followed the man into the opulent Chateau. Emma didn't say a word, but she had to admit she was impressed with how Monet was carrying herself. She could tell she hadn't used her power like this in the past when she was a top executive at X-Industrial. She had more of a moral center then. But now she not only abandoned that mindset, she took a strange sense of satisfaction in doing so. That disturbed Emma even more, but like everything else about this affair she pushed it aside.

The blonde telepath knew what she was doing was a travesty. She was going behind the back of Charles Xavier, the man who helped make her what she was, just to get back at Scott Summers and Jean Grey. Even for someone like her who cared little about morality and limits, there were some lines she swore she wouldn't cross. Charles Xavier was one of them. But every time she felt a twinge of remorse she remembered the pain she from her heartbreak. The memory of Scott rejecting her and going back to Jean Grey hung strongly. Every time the whole affair played over it filled her with rage. And the only way for her to get past it was to fight it. She had to make those two pay just as she had made Shanobi pay. If crossing this line was necessary for that then so be it.

As Monet followed the guard, she occasionally looked back at Emma. So far she was impressed with how she had gone along with this. Mistress Selene said Emma would never do something that went against Charles Xavier, but she proved she could under the right circumstances. At first she thought Emma was just throwing a tantrum for not getting what she wanted. But the more she went along with this, the more she realized just how deeply this had affected her. The pain of rejection was probably unbearable. It was bad for Emma, but good for her. Mistress Selene had already expressed approval over her little stunt. If she could get Emma of all people to help her with her plan, she would prove just how dedicated to darkness she truly was.

The guard eventually led them to the sub-level areas where many of the labs and machine shops were located. This was where Forge did most of his work. As a highly trusted associate, he had all the privileges and benefits of a pawn even though he wasn't one officially. He did most of his work either here or at Muir Island. And because of his expertise with machines, he was entrusted with some of the most sensitive systems in the Hellfire Club's vast network. It was those systems that Monet had such an interest in.

"Master Forge has been in his shop all morning," said the guard as they reached the door to the main lab, "He should still be inside."

"Excellent," grinned Monet, "We'll take it from here. And just to make sure you don't remember any of this…"

Monet then placed her hands on his head and attacked him with a telepathic probe that wiped his memory clean of this event. She was very forceful about it as well, leaving nothing to chance.

"Ungh!" the man groaned in pain.

"That's better," grinned Monet sadistically, "Now run along."

The man did as he was told, looking disoriented and dazed. Chances were he would still be in pain for a good while after this. But Monet didn't care. If anything, she enjoyed it. And that bothered Emma.

"Was that really necessary?" she asked her.

"Can't let you have all the fun now can I?" grinned Monet, "Now remember what I told you. All I need is a few minutes of access to the networks. Get the codes from Forge and keep him off my back until I'm done. Understand?"

"Don't patronize me, Monet. I know what to do," muttered Emma, "Explain to me again how this is going to help me get back at Scott and Jean?"

"No more questions, Emma. You know the deal. You help me and I'll help you. This is just your end of the bargain. You don't need to know what it's for. All you need to know is that by doing this, I'll make it so you have a chance to exact all the vengeance you want."

Emma was still suspicious. There was something in this woman's eyes that didn't sit right. But cast it aside for the moment and focused on the task at hand. She was going to need all her strength to get through this because once it was done there was no turning back.

She fell silent, indicating to Monet that she understood. Monet smiled and then went on with it. She opened the door to the lab and entered to see Forge hunched over his work bench working on what looked like some computer hardware. When the door opened he looked up to see the two of them walking in. Curious, the turned to address them.

"Emma…Monet…what are you two doing here? I knew you were in town, but Lord Xavier didn't tell me you were…"

"There was a change in plan," said Emma, abruptly cutting him off, "And we're just stopping by. As far as you know, we weren't even here."

"Huh? What are you…"

But before Forge could go any further, Emma walked up to him and placed both hands on his temples. Then her gaze narrowed as she focused her telepathic powers into a powerful psychic probe that she used to enter the Native American's mind.

"Ungh! Emma…stop!" he groaned as he tried to resist.

"Easy Forge, this will just take a minute," she said in a flat tone, "As soon as it's over you won't remember a thing."

She forced Forge back into his chair as she aggressively probed his mind, sifting through his memories and seeking out the information she wanted. Forge wasn't like the guards in that he had much better psychic defenses. Xavier made sure all his trusted associates had them. But he trained her well enough to break through them and soon she had Forge firmly in her telepathic grasp.

"Hurry up, Emma. I need those codes," said Monet impatiently.

"Shut up! I've almost got them. You'll get your codes," said the blonde bitterly.

As she waited, Monet went over to a primary terminal next to Forge's work bench. It was where Forge made adjustments within the Hellfire Club's network and as such he could get into many sensitive areas. It was that access she needed if she was to do what Selene needed her to do.

"Okay, I have them!" said Emma.

"Good, give me the first two," said Monet as she typed in a few commands and brought up some secure prompts.

"The first one is 028428458. The second one is 6669366."

Monet entered them and she got through the first layer of security. She grinned to herself as she entered the secure area. It was about to begin.

"I'm in. Give me the last three," she said.

"Hold on," grunted Emma as she was forced to probe harder, "The last two are 981838 and 4343021."

"What about the password?" said Monet as she entered the codes, "I need that to get into the area I want."

"The password is…eelnats."

"Eelnats? What kind of a password is that?" said Monet, "You better not be messing with me, Emma!"

"I'm not! Just enter it!"

Monet rolled her eyes and entered it. And to her relief, it worked.

"Good, I'm in," said Monet as she began typing feverishly, "Let him go and make sure he doesn't remember any of this."

Emma's expression remained stoic as she finished the job. She ignored Forge's pained expression as she went into his memory and erased everything from the second she and Monet entered. As far as he was concerned, he just fell asleep at his work bench again. She had done this and much worse to many people over the years. But it never felt this difficult before. This was a trusted associate of the Hellfire Club and a good friend of Charles's. Doing this would be a grave travesty in his eyes and that didn't take into account whatever travesties Monet was up to. But Emma ignored it for now in the name of vengeance.

Once she wiped Forge's mind clean of this event, she carefully sat him back down on his bench so it looked as though he was sleeping. That way in case anybody came in, they wouldn't get suspicious. Her job was done now and there was no turning back. Whatever consequences came of this, she would have to take. But she tried not to think about that as she waited for Monet to finish.

"How much longer?" asked Emma in a flat tone.

"Give me five minutes," said Monet, "I just need to take care of something."

Emma didn't care to know what it was. She kept her back to her, staring at the sleeping Forge the whole time. She was already imagining how she was going to make Scott and Jean pay. All this pain from the heartbreak they caused her kept festering like an infected wound. It felt as though the only way to heal from it was to make them feel it too. She wasn't sure how she was going to do it, but once she was through with them they would know her pain.

While Emma stood stoically, Monet went about making the necessary adjustments to the heart of the Hellfire network. Her genius level IQ helped her work fast and efficiently. Mistress Selene had many loyal followers of darkness, but none were all that smart to say the least. This was her way of proving she could use all her assets to serve darkness. And once she saw how she handled this, she would show just how ready she was to achieve true perfection.

"Done!" said Monet with an accomplished grin.

"Savor your accomplishment later," said Emma impatiently, "So is it official? Is my end of the deal officially fulfilled?"

"Rest easy, Emma. You've done your part," said Monet as she closed down the terminal.

"So when can I expect you to do yours? I didn't just go out of my way to risk my like this for nothing."

"Oh you'll get what you want. That I promise you," assured Monet, "Just be patient. It'll all come together very soon."

Emma had no choice but to take Monet at her word. She fell silent as she followed her out of the lab, leaving behind whatever 'adjustments' she made to the system. But she tried not to think about that. She put on her usual Emma Frost demeanor and prepared to go about her business as she always did. She didn't know how this would all lead her getting what she wanted, but so long as Monet delivered she didn't care.

* * *

**Above New York Harbor – Present**

The skies over Manhattan were cloudy and dreary as the pawns of the Hellfire Club descended towards the harbor. For a task such as this, the Black King was pulling out all stops. Every pawn, young and experienced alike, were to take part in this. Only he and Selene would stay behind in the manor where they would monitor the situation remotely. Xavier stayed plugged into Cerebrum and Selene had all the Hellfire Club's elite guards on standby ready to move in at a moments notice. Rahne was also supposed to be with them, but they got word that she was doing her searching on the surface where she could track better. It wasn't part of the initial plan, but they didn't have time to think too much about it. Magneto was a dangerous foe and he was intent on making sure they killed him quickly and efficiently.

The pawns were divided up into three helicopter transports. Scott was flying one with Jean, Warren, Pietro, Wanda, Kurt, Rogue, and Warpath. Logan was flying the other with Sage, Alex, Lorna, Bobby, Jubilee, Kitty, Sam, and Danielle. And Raven was flying one with Emma, Betsy, Piotr, Roberto, Tabitha, Julian and Laura. They were all in their combat uniforms, armed and ready to take Magneto down. There was a sense of urgency and anxiety among them. With all the trouble they had been having with the Hand lately, it seemed as though this was just piling on the chaos that seemed to be attacking them.

"So what's the deal with this Magneto guy?" commented Julian, "Why is Lord Xavier pulling out all the stops like this?"

"I do not know the full story, comrade, but if these are the kinds of measures he is taking it must be quite serious," said Piotr.

"Believe me, it is serious," said Raven strongly, "I know Magneto. I spied on him for a while. Trust me, he's bad news. He should have been killed long ago."

"So why wasn't he?" said Tabitha, who was the only one who didn't seem all that concerned.

"He had to suffer first," answered the shape shifter, "That's what he's been doing these past five years. But there's no room for subtlety this time. We're here to kill him, end of story."

"Fair enough," shrugged Roberto, "Will we get a bonus if we're the one to do it?"

"Worry about rewards later," muttered Raven, "Just be ready."

The young pawns shrugged as they waited for the word. Most of them didn't know Magneto, but they had heard of him. If the stories they got were any indication, this was going to get messy.

Over in the other helicopter, the mood was similar. But for some, this wasn't just a simple assassination mission. For Lorna, it was very personal. She never met her biological father in person. Her mother never talked about him and Pietro and Wanda said many bad things about him. It shattered the idealistic image she always hoped to have for a father and now here she was on a mission to kill him. And she wasn't sure how to handle it.

"Still with us, Lorna?" asked Alex, who was sitting next to her.

"Yeah, I'm okay," she said, trying to sound hardened, "It's just…this is going to be the first time I've ever seen my real father in person. And I'm supposed to kill him on sight. I know everybody says he's a bad person and deserves to die, but still…he's my father."

"Look at it this way, you'll be paying him back for skipping out on you and never being there for you," said Alex, "Just remember that and it'll be much easier. You can't afford to hesitate when you're dealing with guys like this."

"Yeah…good advice," she muttered, "I'll do my best."

It wasn't the most compassionate advice. She would have liked it more of Alex just held her hand and told her to hang in there. But he was still distant and focused on something else. She knew this was serious business and all, but it couldn't hurt him to be a little friendlier after everything they had been through.

"Why the hell does she keep trying with that guy?" asked Jubilee, who was sitting behind them.

"Beats me," shrugged Sam, "Ah thought they had a thing going for a while. Guess it isn't going on anymore."

"It's Alex Summers. What do you expect?" said Bobby, "Lately he's been more of a jerk than usual. Face it, he's beyond understanding."

"I heard that, Drake!" said Alex in an annoyed tone as he turned to shoot Bobby a look.

"Quiet back there! I want to fly this thing, not crash it!" shouted Logan from the cockpit.

The pawns went silent as they held on for the shaky descent. The dreary weather outside gave an ominous feel to this mission. Even if it was personal for some, it was of grave importance to the organization they served. There would be plenty of time for personal matters later. This was just business.

In the other helicopter, which was leading the others, Scott was bringing the aircraft into a hover over the harbor. They were below the clouds so visibility was pretty limited. They were relying on the observations of the Black King in Cerebrum and the advanced instruments, which were being managed by Jean and Warpath.

"How are we looking?" asked Scott as he looked out to sea.

"So far, nothing on the scope," said Jean.

"Nothing on radar either," said Warpath, "Although I doubt it would do us much good if Magneto's disrupting magnetic fields."

"You're wasting your time trying to track him," said Wanda, who looked more intent than usual, "My father isn't one for subtlety. You'll know when he's close."

"We still need to track him, Wanda," said Jean dryly, "Just because you think you know him doesn't mean you can predict what moves he'll make."

"Please don't give me an attitude, Grey," said Wanda in a disgruntled tone, "I hopped a high speed jet from Europe to get back here for this. I'm tired, jet lagged, and pissed off that I have to face my bastard father again. So spare me the snide remarks!"

"Easy Wanda, we don't need to start another fight at a time like this," said Pietro, trying to keep his sister calm, "I'm just as upset as you are over Magneto escaping, but save your anger for him!"

"Don't tell me how to spend my anger!" she retorted, "I'll express it as I please!"

"Then express it when your father gets here!" exclaimed Rogue, "Geez, you guys! Could ya maybe try to keep it together? Now ain't the time for sibling spats!"

"Like you would know," scoffed Wanda.

Rogue was about to respond when Scott stepped in.

"Enough!" he said in a commanding tone, "We're all on edge, okay? But we need to stay focused! We're not here to fight each other! We're here to fight Magneto! If you want to continue this, do it after we've killed him! But for now just keep it together and let's just get this over with!"

Wanda was still visibly annoyed, but she didn't add to the tension. She made her point to everyone how much she hated this situation and they bought it. It was a good thing too because if they knew the truth everything would get a lot more complicated. She was getting impatient though. She and Kurt just flew back from Europe ahead of Magneto to meet up with the others as they were leaving. They got the message while they were in the air and while they were hardly surprised, they had to act the part.

She maintained her stern demeanor while Pietro was a little more anxious. To him, this wasn't just about stopping his father. It was about finishing what should have been done years ago. All his years at the Hellfire Club hardened him to a point where he saw just how wrong his father's views were. And after meeting Lorna's mother, he was completely convinced that Magneto was a failure of a parent and deserved to suffer. But no cage could hold him. This breakout proved it. The only way to end it now was to kill him and he had to be ready to do it.

"We'll get him, Wanda. He won't escape this time," Pietro told his sister.

"I know he won't," she said ominously, "I'll see to it."

Scott took the helicopter higher to get a better view over the harbor. But it was hard to see much with it being so cloudy. If Magneto was coming like he said he was, he would have good cover. Growing increasingly anxious, Scott grabbed the communication link that was patched into Cerebrum.

"Lord Xavier, can you sense anything yet?" Scott asked.

"_Not yet, Scott. But I managed to issue some orders to local authorities and media outlets to clear a few parts of the harbor. So if Magneto strikes, we'll be better able to keep it under wraps."_

"That's good. But that all depends on how quickly we can contain him. Have you been able to track him?"

"_Unfortunately, I haven't. I have increased the power, but Magneto's helmet is blocking even my strongest probes."_

"Our scanners aren't picking up anything either," said Scott, "But if he said he was coming and he can fly at supersonic speeds, why isn't he here already? If he's so determined he would have been here an hour ago at least."

"_I'm not sure, but as enraged as he is I'm certain my old friend hasn't lost a touch of common sense. He knows that by calling me out that I would respond with force. He must have some sort of strategy planned."_

"That would make sense, but he's taking his sweet time pulling it off," said Scott, "It's like his waiting for something and I don't like it. It's not the kind of strategy I would expect from someone like him."

"_Nor would I, which is why you and the others must be on your guard. I'm sure Magneto has some surprises in store for us."_

That wasn't a comforting feeling. Scott had faced this man before as part of his first mission. It always stood out as the first time he got a chance to lead, strategize, and fight. But it also stood out in how well they were able to take him down because of strategy and surprise. Now it seemed as though Magneto was the one with that advantage and Scott didn't like that one bit.

He made another pass near the harbor, looking for any signs of activity. The sun was setting so it would be getting dark soon. That would make it even harder to track Magneto since he would have the cover of night on his side. So Scott and the others kept their eyes open. Then as he flew in lower Scott picked up on some interference with the communication link.

"Sir? Lord Xavier, are you still with us?" said Scott as he tapped on the communicator.

"_Ugh…I'm still here, Scott. But I just sensed something."_

"Is it Magneto?" asked Scott anxiously.

"_No, it's…it's something else. I felt like Moria. She sounded distressed and then she went silent."_

"Distressed how? Is something wrong?"

"_I don't know. I'll check into it. I have to go offline for a moment. I'll check back in soon. Be careful! As soon as you see Magneto, be ready to strike hard!"_

"We will, sir," assured Scott, "You can count on it."

"_I know I can."_

The link then went dead and there was nothing but static. Scott tried to adjust it to keep the line open, but there was still only static. It was very distressing. They needed their King's guidance for a mission like this. And for something to just come up like that was not only unusual it was unheard of. The Hellfire Club never left loose ends. If something was cutting their communication links off then that could hint at something else going on. And if that was the case then Magneto wouldn't be their only problem.

"What was that about?" wondered Jean, who was also concerned but what she heard.

"I don't know," said Scott as he gripped the controls, "But whatever it is, I'm sure Lord Xavier will handle it. Let's just focus on the mission at hand and stop Magneto."

* * *

**X-Industrial – Cerebrum Chamber**

In the core of Cerebrum, one of Charles Xavier's most powerful creations, something was very wrong. The Black King had been using this device without incident for years and now all of the sudden something was wrong with it. This couldn't have been a worse time. Magneto was coming for him and suspicions over Selene and Sinister were growing. It all started with what sounded like a cry from Moria. After that everything started getting scrambled and the Black King was struggling to make sense of it.

"Damn this machine!" he cursed, "What's going on out there?!"

The Black King started making emergency adjustments, switching to auxiliary programs and running special diagnostic software. He kept trying to link his mind specifically to his pawns and to Moria. But every time he tried to get a psychic signal out he hit a proverbial wall. It was a major strain on his mind. Projecting his telepathy was a strenuous task and when the machine was acting up like this it was even worse. Sweat was already pouring down his face as the exertion started to show.

'_Moria? Moria, can you hear me? Where are you?! What's going on?! Please respond!'_

There was only silence. It was as if Moria's mind wasn't even on this planet. That couldn't be. Xavier kept trying to make adjustments. He was still hitting the wall every time he tried to project his power further. He had to fix this. That left only one option.

"Enough of this," he said to the machine, "Time to engage the emergency amplifiers."

Xavier typed in the commands. As the Black King it was always vital to have a backup plan and for an occasion like this he needed something significant. Most of Cerebrum's functions operated within a tightly controlled operating system that carefully monitored his thoughts and psychic commands. When that system wasn't working properly, he could bypass it with an emergency amplifier. This bypassed the system, but it also bypassed many of the safeguards in place that protected him. It was a significant risk, but when Moria was involved it was one he had to take.

"Amplifiers engaged," he said as he entered the final command, "Now where are you Moria?"

Closing his eyes, Xavier focused his powers on finding his companion and love. But just as he began to reach out with his mind he was hit with an unexpected feeling. Suddenly, the whole chamber started blaring with alarms and screens flashed red images of a deadly warning sign everywhere. What followed next was a sensation that defied description.

"AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!"

His pained cries echoed through the chamber. His face contorted in waves of agony. It was as if something was clawing inside his brain, tearing it apart bit by bit. It was all wrong. Everything about this was wrong. The Black King tried to remove the helmet, but his brain was on fire. He could no longer move his limbs properly and could no longer focus. He couldn't think, he couldn't move, he could barely breathe. More alarms blared, warning of an immanent system crash. The Black King tried to regain control. But it was no use. He keeled over on the console, groaning in agony with a distant look in his eye.

Then through the pain and confusion, he heard a familiar dark voice. It was then he knew that this was no accident.

"Having equipment problems, Charles?" said Selene in a snide yet accomplished tone.

Xavier, barely able to move, shifted his head to see the Black Queen casually approaching the console. She had that sadistic look in her eye, the one she always had when she did something truly devious.

"Selene…it was you?" he said with a raspy tone.

"Oh don't look so shocked," she scoffed, "You're a very smart man, Charles. You knew this day would come eventually. Did you honestly believe I was willing to share my power forever?"

Xavier's face contorted in anger, but his mind was still too dazed to move. Selene knew this and casually sat down on the console next to him with a taunting leer.

"Don't bother moving. Your mind has just been 'hacked' so to speak. You see, a certain pale-faced associate of mind gave me a special malicious program what when used would crash someone's mind the same way a virus crashes a computer."

There was only one person who fit that description and even in his dazed state, Charles Xavier knew who was behind this.

"Sinister…"

"Don't tell me you're surprised by that too," she laughed, "The man has always despised you. I just gave him an opportunity to get back. It pretty simple actually. This little program of his just overloaded our brain, making you as docile as docile as a wounded dog. All it took was for you to lower your defenses, which I knew you would do in order to find your precious Moria. But I wouldn't worry about her anymore. She's not going to be answering any calls, telepathic or otherwise, anytime soon."

Xavier's anger now turned to burning rage. This sadistic woman had crossed many lines, but this was too much. Not only had the audacity to attack him, but she murdered the woman he loved. Through the burning pain in his head, he reached up to grab the sadistic woman. Even in his weakened state, he was going to kill her with his bear hands if he had to. She had to pay for her crimes.

"You…sadistic…monster!" he grunted in anger as he reached for her.

"What? No witty quip? No fancy rhetoric?" scoffed the Black Queen, "I'm surprised at you Charles. You've sunk down the level of the very people you've spent a lifetime rising above. It's pathetic. I almost feel sorry for you."

Before he could lay a hand on her she grabbed his arms and pinned him down harshly onto the console, holding one hand on his neck so he couldn't move. Then she leaned in and spoke in a soft, sadistic tone.

"You are a remarkable man, Charles. Of all the men I've known in my immortal life, you are in a class all your own. You've impressed me with you're willingness to good and evil. You've shown you can go to great lengths to obtain power and control. But more than that, you've shown you can do it in a reasonable, cunning, if not poetic way. The old Hellfire order never had that. That's why I was so eager to help you take them down. But even though we've been tenuous allies over the years, there is one thing we've never agreed on…one thing that makes what I'm about to do to you a necessary task."

Then holding him by his neck, Selene turned Xavier's weakened body around so she could look him in the eye. He was still in a world of pain, but she made sure he listened to what she had to say.

"You see, I don't believe that instilling order in this pathetic will solve anything. You can have all the order you want, foster all the progress you desire, and keep everybody in line. And yet, the outcome will still be the same. As frail mortals, all will perish eventually. Order can delay it, but never stop it. It is useless to even try. That is why I am going to take the world down a different path…a path that will speed up the process."

Her grip on him tightened. She heard him choke and cough up some blood. His body started going limp, but she held onto his head so he would not turn away from her. She wanted him to see the look in her eyes as she ended this.

"I have lived a long time, Charles. I've seen civilizations rise and fall. I've seen even the most powerful leaders succumb to the inevitable cycle of death. I've seen how the mindless masses go about their lives, merely delaying the inevitable. And I'm sick of it! This pathetic façade will end! This order you champion so much will soon give way to something much greater…something much darker. And when all is said and done and I will create a new world…a world governed not by man, but the fires of hell!"

Selene then began choking him with her grip, making sure he stayed awake so he would know what the world was in for.

"Just imagine a world of chaos where every sinister force is allowed to run free, corrupting all morals and forcing them into submission! There will be no meaning to life. There will be no grandeur. The whole concept of life and death itself will be irrelevant because the torment felt in live will continue on into death. It'll be one endless stream of torment…one that I, an immortal queen, will oversee. It won't be an orderly world or a perfect world. But it will be MY world!"

There was a touch of madness in her tone. Countless years of immortal life had twisted this woman beyond description. Charles Xavier knew she was dark, but this insane vision of hers wasn't just dark it was downright evil. She had crossed the final line. She wasn't out to just rule the world. She was just out to make it burn.

"No…" choked Charles, sounding like he was on his last breath.

"You're too late, Charles," grinned Selene intently, "I've already won. And don't worry about your little pawns. I'll make sure they come to join you in Hell very soon. But you'll understand if I want to have a little fun with them first."

"Ack!" he choked, still trying to resist.

"When you get to Hell, you'll understand why I'm doing this. But just to give you a taste, I won't drain your life energy. For you, Charles Xavier, I will send you off in way most deserving of you…courtesy of your good friend, Sinister."

Selene then let him go, allowing his weakened body to fall limply onto the console. He groaned in agony, still trying to move. Selene then took a step back and pulled out a small hand-held device that Sinsiter gave her. Then as she watched the once powerful man stagger weakly to his feet, she pressed a red button and delivered the final blow. What happened next was too much for any man, even Charles Xavier, to take.

"AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!"

Every screen, console, and system sparked and flashed as every last bit of corrupt data and psychic energy surged into the weakened mind of Charles Xavier. It set his brain ablaze, overwhelming every nerve with blinding pain and utterly wiping it out in a prolonged display of agony. Selene watched with sadistic joy as the Black King's eyes widened and rolled in the back of his head while he cried out the loudest cries of pain she had heard in a long time. His limbs could no longer support his body so he collapsed onto the floor. The pain and agony was so bad the veins in his head and neck bulged and some even ruptured. Blood poured out of his ears, nose, mouth, and eyes. His every limb tensed and contorted wildly like a machine out of control. Soon his screams were muffled by blood and there were only choked gasps. It was truly a horrific sight, but to Selene it was nothing short of beautiful.

Even after the screaming stopped, Selene stood over Charles until death overtook him. Even when he wasn't moving or breathing, she kept watching because she knew from the look in his face that he was still in pain. And she made sure that pain lingered until finally, the Black King slipped away for good, his mind friend and his body broken beyond repair.

"So long, Charles. Thank you for helping me realize my true destiny," she grinned, "Enjoy the pits of Hell. You're about to have a lot of company!"

The Black Queen casually tossed the remote device aside and made her way towards the exit. When she opened the chamber a team of her black masked elite guards were waiting, ready to take orders. Now that the Black King was dead she was in control of the Hellfire Club from top to bottom. All resources, contacts, and personnel were under her control. And with all the power Xavier built up she technically now wielded more power than anyone in the history of the Hellfire Club, if not the world. But this power would be nothing compared to what she had planned.

"Dispose of that body," she told the guards, "But chop it up first. I don't want to take any chances."

"Yes ma'am," said the masked men in a flat, mechanical tone.

"Oh, and prepare my torture chambers when you're done," she added with an ominous grin, "We're going to be having some occupants soon and I want to make them feel welcome in my new order."

* * *

**New York Harbor – Pier 616 **

With communication with the Black King temporarily down, the young pawns of the Hellfire Club were cut off from their usual source of support. It was not a pleasant feeling since they were used to having the upper hand in every affair. But they didn't have time to lament over lost luxuries. They still had a mission to do in the name of the Hellfire Club and they were bent on completing it.

"Lord Xavier? Lord Xavier, come in! Can you hear us?" said Scott into the communication link, "Damn, it's still down!"

"It's been almost ten minutes. Should we start worrying?" said Rogue.

"A little late for that," said Pietro, "What could be the hold up? Cerebrum's never malfunctioned before."

"First time for everything I guess," shrugged Wanda, still not looking as concerned as the others, "Maybe Magneto already got to him."

"If that's the case we're in even worse shape than we thought," said Warpath, "Maybe one of us should fly back to check on things."

"We don't have time! Lord Xavier told us specifically to find and kill Magneto and that's what we're going to do until he says otherwise," said Scott sternly.

"Well we have to do something! Because I'm not seeing him on any…"

But the Apache warrior was abruptly cut off by the sound of a blip on the radar. Jean picked it up as well and when she saw it the overall mood changed.

"Hold on! We've got something on radar," said Jean as she brought up the scope, "Some nasty interference is coming in over pier 616."

"It's him," said Wanda strongly, "It has to be him."

"Then let's get down there already!" said Warpath as he turned away from the monitors.

"I'm on it," said Scott as he activated the communicator to the other aircraft, "Attention all pawns, we just picked up a trail on Magneto! He's coming in hot over pier 616! All aircraft descend and converge outside the area! We need to be ready to intercept as soon as he flies in!"

"_Roger that," _said Raven from one of the helicopters.

"_I hear you, Summers. Save the barkin' for the main event!" _replied Logan from the other helicopter.

The three aircraft descended to a clearing not far from a nearby loading dock. And as they expected, Lord Xavier managed to clear the area of workers and civilians with some well-placed calls into the city. It left the area eerily quiet, even for a cloudy day that was getting darker as the sun set. But they could all feel it in the air that Magneto was coming for them.

The three groups of pawns met up as instructed. Now fully assembled, they were ready to confront Magneto with all the force the Inner Circle could offer. Older pawns like Scott, Jean, Pietro, Sage, Wanda, Warren, Kurt, Rogue, Warpath, and Piotr took the lead. Younger pawns like Bobby, Kitty, Jubilee, Sam, Roberto, Tabitha, Alex, and Lorna followed close behind. Others like Danielle, Julian, Laura stuck close to Logan, who was also leading near the front of the group. Monet, Betsy, and Emma kept their distance though. Neither one of them was much of a team player, but they were instructed to be part of this attack. But for some, it carried different connotations than others.

"I have a bad feeling about this," said Danielle.

"We all do, Danielle," said Lorna.

"No, I mean there's something else going on here," she said, "Something about it just doesn't feel right."

"What do you mean?" asked Sam curiously.

"I don't know. I just have that feeling, you know?"

"You sure it's not just fear setting in?" teased Tabitha.

"No, I'm not afraid!" she said strongly, "It's something else."

"Like what?" scoffed Alex.

Before Danielle could answer they all got an unexpected jolt. Parts of the pier and dock started warping on their own, the metal nails and supports twisting and levitating on their own by an unseen hand. All around them other metal objects started moving. Fork lifts, fish scales, tools, knives, and anything else made of metal started rising up and swirling around the area in an ominous display. It wasn't much of a mystery about what was causing this. It only confirmed what they suspected.

"He's here!" said Pietro, his tone laced with venomous intent.

"Way to state the obvious, speedy!" said Warpath, "Where is he?"

"He's coming," said Laura as she sniffed the air, "He's just making a statement."

Laura followed the scent upwards into the sky. And when she and the others looked up, they all saw a familiar ominous figure descend towards them. It was Magneto and he looked every bit as menacing as the first time they faced him. He had his anti-telepathy helmet back and his old dark red uniform. How he got that back was beyond them, but one way or another he looked pretty angry.

When Pietro saw him his face contorted with rage. Lorna, who was standing behind him, was a little more reserved. She wasn't sure what to think. This man was her father and yet here he was coming down with a murderous look in his eye. It wasn't the kind of look she hoped to see when she met her father, but it was useless to dwell on it.

"Greetings," he said in a dark, cold tone, "I had a feeling Charles would send his pawns after me. Typical of a man too coward to face me on his own."

"You got a lot of nerve, Magneto!" yelled Scott, "You're going to wish you stayed in your cell!"

"You're going to wish you never locked me up to begin with," countered the master of magnetism, "I don't just plan on making Charles pay. I plan on making all those responsible suffer!"

"Oh yeah? In case you haven't noticed you're a little outnumbered here, bub!" growled Logan, drawing his claws.

"Am I?" said Magneto with a mischievous grin.

Suddenly the area was swarmed with a new presence. From every door, cover, and nearby facility dozens of masked men came rushing out into the open and quickly surrounded the pawns. They moved like locus, quietly and efficiently. It was the kind of efficiency that could evade even a powerful psychic or enhanced senses. It was the kind of detection the Hellfire pawns knew only the Hand could master, leaving little doubt as to who these figures were.

"Hand assassins?!" exclaimed Sam.

"Since when do you work with the Hand?!" exclaimed Pietro.

"That, my son, is an interesting story. I'll tell you and your sister later, but first…"

With a simple hand gesture, the master of magnetism ordered the Hand assassins to attack. And they did so with their usual swift and cutthroat efficiency. Armed with the usual katanas, guns, and rifles they boxed in the pawns and attempted to crush them with one powerful attack. But the pawns wouldn't make it that easy for them.

"All pawns attack!" ordered Scott, "Warren and Rogue, take the ones with the rifles! Julian and Sam, back them up! Everybody else, pick a target and take them down!"

"What the hell kind of strategy is that?!" growled Logan as he clawed through two nearby assassins who tried to attack him.

"A simple one!" grunted Raven as she disarmed an assassin and took his gun, "Just shut up and start killing!"

"Oh this will be fun," grinned Alex as he followed his brother for once and started blowing away assassins.

Destruction and death quickly followed. The bulk of the Hand's attack force charged the young Hellfire pawns while some stayed at a distance, firing high powered energy weapons right at them. These were immediate dangers and Rogue, Warren, Julian, and Sam followed Scott's orders to take them out first.

"Whoa! What the hell are those things?!" exclaimed Julian as he barely dodged a bolt of bluish-red energy.

"High powered plasma rifles," Warren answered as he flew in over him, "Great for long distance shots, but expensive as hell."

"How the hell would you know?!" exclaimed Julian as he narrowly avoided another shot.

"My company makes them. Now shut up and take them out!" said Warren.

"Figures," muttered Julian.

"Give it a rest, Julian! Just cover me while I leave my mark!" said Sam as he shot up higher into the air.

Sam was now going at the speed of a rocket, flying high and not giving a chance for the assassins to hit him. Then when he got high enough, he arced over and flew back down towards them at high speeds. To the assassins he looked like a meteor coming in out of the sky. They tried to shoot him, but he was too fast. And just as it looked as though he was going to impact the ground, he made a daring arc and swooped over the perches where they were station and created a shock wave that knocked some off of rooftops and left others stunned.

"Way to leave their ears ringin', sugah!" grinned Rogue as she flew in and nailed two assassins with a lethal left hook, "You know how to leave their ears ringing!"

"Speak for yourself," muttered Warren with a dirty grin as he flew down and grabbed a discarded rifle, "Don't you leave every man's ears ringing in some form or another?"

"Dang it, Warren! Now is NOT the time to be makin' those kinds of jokes!" exclaimed Rogue as she snapped the necks of two more shooters.

"Maybe for you it isn't," he grinned ominously as he shot down several more assassins, "But you never know."

Armed with his own high energy rifle, Warren fired a number of shots at other sentries across the pier. Since his company made these weapons, he was a pretty good shot with them. Those that he didn't pick off were disarmed by Julian and maimed by Rogue and Sam. Soon all the sentries were down, leaving only the assassins on the ground to take out the pawns. And they were ready for them.

The pawns scrambled to divide the attacking force up. Scott, Jean, Alex, Bobby, Betsy, and Danielle converged around what was left of the pier that Magneto partially destroyed on his entrance. Various armed Hand assassins swarmed around them, swiping at them with katanas and shooting them with side-arms. Jean took action first, deflecting the rounds and disarming them while the others tore into them. Scott literally blasted a perfect round hole through three assassins. Not to be outdone Alex took down another three, but he aimed for their heads so they had no chance of getting up. Bobby took on his full ice form and started freezing any assassin that was nearby, which Betsy then shattered with psionic blades. And while she didn't show it, she did take a great satisfaction in killing those who were part of the organization that did her so much harm. For the assassins Jean wasn't able to disarm, Danielle formed illusions that caused the assassins to attack targets that weren't there. This allowed her to sneak up on them and slit their throats with a vibrainium knife that Warpath gave her. She also helped Bobby by fooling them into walking right into his ice blasts.

"Not bad, Danielle! Those illusions of yours are pretty effective!" Bobby complimented.

"You have no idea," grinned Native American mutant.

Not far from the pier around a collection of fishing gear, Emma and Monet were keeping their battles isolated and away from the main attack force. Emma had never been one to fight a battle in a team. She preferred fighting on her own. Since the Hand assassins had telepathic safeguards, she couldn't use her telepathy. But her diamond hard shell would suffice, allowing her to resist most of their attacks and allowing her to deliver punishing blows that broke bones and maimed would be attackers. And while she was trying to do this her own way Monet stuck close to her, showing off her advanced reflexes and strength to snap necks, break bones, and at times even stab to death using nearby fishing gear.

"Ugh! Why are trying to help me?" said Emma as she blocked an attack from two incoming assassins.

"Because you need my help," grinned Monet as she came in, grabbed the attacking assassins by the necks, and snapped them with a sickening crunch.

"I can handle myself!" grunted the blonde telepath, "I don't need your help!"

"Maybe not now," said Monet as she turned her attention to another wave of attacks, "But you will soon."

Emma didn't have time for her cryptic mind games so she tried to ignore her and continue fighting. These Hand assassins provided a much needed outlet for her anger and rage and she didn't squander a any one of them, letting the others do the heavier fighting.

Over near a series of large crates Logan, Raven, Kitty, Laura, Sage, and Tabitha lured another group of Hand assassins into more confined areas where they could attack them at close range. Logan and Laura stayed on top of the crates, sniffing out and taking down any assassins that tried to gain the high ground. Raven and Sage handled the ones down below, using mercenary and SHIELD training to take down anyone who tried to attack. For the assassins that had guns, Kitty attacked and drew their fire. The bullets passed right through her and then she phased her hand right into their chests and stopped their hearts. For those trying to sneak up on them, Tabitha stayed a step ahead of them. She laid several traps with her energy bombs, blowing the legs off of several assassins unlucky enough to step on them. And for those who dared to get close, she made the bombs bigger so that they couldn't escape the blast.

"Think fast!" said Tabitha to an assassin as she literally shoved the bombs into his mask.

Before the masked assassin could react they exploded, blowing much of his head off in the process. It was a sight Tabitha never got tired of.

"They never learn," she grinned.

"She's enjoying this a little too much," commented Kitty as she backed in close to Sage, helping her phase through a few incoming bullets.

"I agree. And it is disturbing," said Sage as she shot down two assassins with a gun she picked up, "I'm beginning to see what Danielle was so uncertain about."

"What do you mean?" asked Kitty.

"I cannot say," she said in her usual mechanical tone, "But now is not the time to dwell on such matters."

"Hey, you guys wanna stop gossiping down there?!" growled Logan from atop one of the creates, "These punks ain't gonna kill themselves!"

Logan and Laura continued clawing their way through more assassins, working their way back towards the clearing where Magneto was still hovering. In that area Piotr, Warpath, Roberto, Jubilee, Pietro, Wanda, Kurt, and Lorna were holding their own, driving back the remaining attack force from the Hand. Piotr and Warpath were handling much of the heavy duty tasks, taking down clusters of assassins that tried to gang up on them. They used their superior strength and agility to literally plow through them, sending their mangled bodies flying. Kurt used his agility and to teleport around the area, using a couple of katanas he stole to slice through and kill his enemies one by one before they could react. Roberto and Jubilee cleaned up the ones that managed to get through, shooting them with fireworks and solar blasts. They went full power as well, making sure they would not get up after the first hit. The attack was relentless and as always, the masked Hand assassins didn't say a word. They just fought on despite their losses, doing exactly what they were trained to do.

"These guys never learn!" grunted Jubilee as she blinded a couple of assassins with fireworks for Piotr to come in and finish.

"They are from the Hand. They never will," said the Russian as several bullets bounced off his metal skin, "But why would the Hand be helping this madman?"

"Does it matter?" said Roberto as he burned through two incoming assassins with solar blasts, "Just sit back, watch them burn, and get yourself warmed up for Magneto!"

"You're taking this a bit too lightly, Roberto!" grunted Warpath as she snapped the necks of two more assassins.

"Maybe I just react better to these situations," grinned the Brazilian mutant.

The heavy fighting in the central clearing raged on. But for Pietro, Wanda, and Lorna the attack by the Hand was secondary to their primary target, Magneto. The three siblings looked up at their estranged father in a rage, yearning to strike him down. But Magneto wasn't just letting the Hand do all his work for him. He was actively attacking himself, using his magnetic powers to send shards of metallic projectiles raining down on them at high speeds. It forced Wanda and Lorna to deflect them and whenever they tried to attack, a couple of Hand assassins ganged up on them. It was frustrating, but only enraged them further.

"Magneto! Stop letting these thugs do your dirty work and come down to fight!" Pietro yelled out as he kicked away another Hand assassin.

"So much anger," commented Magneto, "I see these years have done little to calm you, my son."

"You think you can just break out and attack us like this? I've seen the error of your ways! I've since learned how wrong they are! And I know you'll never stop so I'll make sure it ends here!"

"Really, Pietro? You would kill your own father just to stop me from doing what I feel is just?"

"Yes!" said Pietro strongly, "Like I said, I've learned."

For a moment Magneto halted his attack, watching as Pietro was forced to fight off another Hand assassin. This one tried to stab him in the leg like last time. But this time Pietro was ready for him. He moved out of the way, grabbed his katana from him, and literally impaled him with it through the back. It was a brutally efficient kill and Pietro did it without hesitation, just as Hellfire had trained him. And when Magneto saw this he did something unexpected. He smiled.

"Oh son…you've finally made me proud."

When Pietro heard this, he was shocked. And his momentary lapse was all the time Magneto needed to take a nearby metal drum and throw it at the speedster on a magnetic wave of power. And before Pietro could collect himself, it blindsided him and send him falling to the ground where a several Hand assassins were waiting to strike. Lorna, who had been close enough to hear the exchange, saw this and sprang into action.

"Pietro!" she exclaimed, "You monster! You really are nobody's father!"

Lorna then used her magnetic powers to levitate the barrel that hit Pietro and fling it around at high speeds, knocking over several Hand assassins that tried to move in for the kill. Once they were taken out, she flung the barrel up at Magneto, who easily deflected it.

When the master of magnetism saw how this young woman reacted, he was surprised and intrigued. He had been told about this girl. He didn't believe it at first, but after a display like that it was hard to deny. That girl was his daughter. And like Pietro, she was utterly misguided.

"Not bad, young lady. Not that I would expect anything less," he said as he lowered himself down to the surface, "You must be the one I was told about."

"The name is Lorna Dane," she said angrily, "And I've been told a lot about you too. Now that I've seen you in person I see why you have such a bad parenting record. And it's ends today!"

Lorna took to the air, using her magnetic powers to levitate herself and fly towards Magneto in a rage.

"Lorna no!" Pietro yelled out.

But it was too late. She was heading for the master of magnetism and she wasn't going to stop. This man had caused her mother a lot of emotional pain. He caused her a lot of pain by never being there. And she only knew one way to deal with it and that was the way the Hellfire Club taught her…through vengeance.

She prepared to attack her father with a magnetic pulse of her own. The plan was to break his hold on the surrounding energy, force him to the ground, and finish him there with all the support she had from the others. But when she fired off her pulse, she hit an absolute wall. Magneto, despite his old age, casually held up a hand and repelled Lorna's attack. He repelled it so well she froze in mid air.

"This…must…end!" grunted Lorna.

"Is that anyway to introduce yourself to your estranged father?" said Magneto with a touch of parental scorn, "Perhaps you need a lesson in manners."

The master of magnetism then pulled in some metal pips from around him and twisted them like rope. He then used it to tie Lorna up, encasing her in a hard metal vice. Then he tightened his magnetic hold around her and hovered in closer where he firmly grabbed her by the chin.

"So you're my long lost daughter," said Magneto in a dark tone, "I must say, I'm surprised I didn't realize it sooner. But then again your mother if I recall, wasn't the most forthcoming person in the world."

"Augh!" she grunted as his grip tightened.

"I remember her well. I was a broken man at the time, having lost my wife and my children. She was part of a humanitarian organization that surveyed war torn areas like the Balkans. She had a weakness for people in pain. She thought she could make mine go away. She tried desperately, going to great lengths to help me erase the scars of the past. And some of those lengths led to your conception."

Lorna's face twisted in a mix of pain and anger. The way he was talking about her mother was hardly affectionate. It sounded as though he was mocking her and her mother for what happened and that only made her angrier.

"But try as she might, she failed. She could never erase the pain and anger I felt towards the world. And when I revealed to her what I could do and what I had done to my enemies, she was horrified. She no longer pitied me. She was horrified by me. I can only imagine what she must have felt when she realized she was carrying my child. It must have left her emotionally devastated for the rest of her life."

"Errrrrrrrrrrrr! Shut up!" yelled the young mutant teen.

"Face it, child. Your mother is weak. People like her who think they can understand the pain and anger people like me feel are always weak! And soon their weakness will be their undoing."

The master of magnetism tightened his grip on her. But Lorna remained defiant and strong.

"No…We'll kill you first!" she said.

"Oh don't be so sure about that," said Magneto with an ominous grin.

Down blow, Pietro's body was still sore from the blow. But he had since been helped up by Wanda, who had been busy using her hex bolts to mangle any Hand assassin that dared to get close to her. She didn't seem as concerned about Lorna's well-being as Pietro, not that it came as any surprise. But one thing that did bother Pietro was how calm she was after being so worked up earlier about this. He half expected her to be tearing this whole area apart with her hex bolts, but she it looked as though she was just biding her time by killing Hand assassins.

"Wanda, what are you waiting for?! Hex him or something! Save Lorna!" he exclaimed as he shook off the pain.

"Don't worry, dear brother. It's almost over," she said with a devious grin as she killed another assassin.

"Huh? What are you talking about?"

"You'll see."

Kurt then appeared next to Wanda in a puff of brimstone. He still had two katanas in hand, each of which were dripping with blood. He was short of breath and a little bruised from the attacks, but he had the same strange look in his eye as Wanda had. He then nodded mysteriously, signaling that this battle was nearing its end. He then teleported away to spread the word.

Far from the mayhem that had consumed the pier, a dark mist swirled around the roof of a warehouse overlooking the area. It was the same rooftop where Warren, Rogue, Julian, and Sam had taken down sentries armed with high powered rifles. Bodies still littered the area, but the mist grew and intensified until a figure emerged from it. That figure was the Black Queen herself, Selene. And she had in her hand the means by which she would end this meaningless battle.

"So young and naïve," she mused, "They all had their chance to walk with me on the path of darkness. Now they'll all suffer the consequences."

The Black Queen then opened her hand to reveal a glowing red stone. It was one of the blood stones, a relic she obtained when she seized control of the Hand. She then held it up high into the air and chanted a series of Japanese and old Asian phrases that activated the magic within.

"Power of the blood stone! Heed my words!" she proclaimed as her body became engulfed in a blood red aura.

Back on the pier, many of the Hand assassins had been taken down or immobilized and many of the pawns were gathering near the pier just below Magneto. Piotr, Warpath, and Jubilee met up with Scott, Jean, and Bobby. Rogue, Julian, and Sam flew down to join them. Logan, Raven, Laura, and Kitty joined as well while Sage and Danielle stayed behind the clean up the rest of the assassins near the crates. Emma went to join in as well, but another round of assassins held her up. Warren, Betsy, Kurt, Roberto, Tabitha, and Alex had broken off and started chasing Hand assassins to the other side of the pier, giving them a nice clearing to take a shot at magneto. They now stood with Wanda and Pietro looking up at Magneto as he had Lorna in his grasp. They had a clear shot at him, but some were hesitant to take it.

"He's got Lorna!" exclaimed Jubilee.

"The man's using his own daughter as a shield. How low is that?" scoffed Julian.

"Nothing's too low for Magneto," grunted Pietro, "We have to get her out of there!"

"We'll get her out by taking him down!" said Scott with a grunt of determination, "Hold on, I'm taking a shot!"

"Oh no you won't," said Magneto ominously.

Just as Scott was about to fire an optic blast, a strange red aura consumed every one of the pawns. At first it was just a strange tingle, but then when Scott attempted to fire a blast nothing happened. It was as if his powers weren't even there anymore.

"Augh! What the…my power!" he exclaimed, "They're gone!"

"Hey, mine too!" said Jubilee as she tried to fire a round of fireworks.

"Oh no, so are mine!" said Bobby as he watched his ice cover rapidly melt away, "Ugh, and I feel like shit!"

"What the heck is goin' on here? What's causing this?!" exclaimed Rogue, who couldn't fly anymore.

"I don't know, but it feels almost like…like some sort of magic," said Jean, as she tried to make sense of this feeling.

"Magic?! Who the hell would be casting magic on us like this?" grunted Logan, already in pain now that some of his wounds weren't healing.

It wasn't a pleasant feeling. Everybody tested their powers as well and soon found they were gone too. Piotr could no longer armor his body up, Sam could no longer blast, Kitty could no longer phase, and Jean could no longer use her telekinesis. Even those with physical mutations like Mystique were affected. It was a strange, ominous feeling that left every one of them feeling sick to their stomaches.

One person who wasn't affected, however, was Magneto. And with Lorna still in a metal vice he descended lower, no longer concerned with their ability to attack.

"What's the matter? Feeling vulnerable?" taunted the master of magnetism.

"How the hell are you doing this?!" demanded Pietro.

"I'm not doing anything," he answered, "Someone else has taken the liberty of holding back your mutant abilities."

"Someone else? Who?!" demanded Mystique.

Then a cold yet familiar voice from behind answered.

"That would be me."

Then the young pawns turned around to a shocking and disturbing sight. Selene, the Black Queen who they all swore to serve, had emerged from behind holding an ominous looking red stone that was glowing in the same ominous aura that had consumed them. Her eyes were glowing as well, indicating that she was the one behind this. It was a confusing, yet disturbing scene. And for the loyal pawns of the Hellfire Club, it was beyond comprehension.

"Mistress Selene?!" exclaimed Kitty.

"Hello my dear pawns," she greeted in a sinister tone, "Sorry to drop in like this, but there's been a sudden change of plan. It seems as though the Black King is…incapacitated."

"Incapacitated?!" exclaimed Julian, picking up on the subtext of her words.

"No…you didn't!" yelled Scott.

"Oh don't look so shocked," scoffed the Black Queen, "Deep down, you all knew this was coming."

Scott, Jean, Piotr, Rogue, Logan, Mystique, Pietro, Bobby, Jubilee, Kitty, Sam, Laura, and Julian had all been part of a group more loyal to Xavier than Selene. They all knew the Black Queen was an evil, twisted person. But they had to respect her for her status and trusted that Charles Xavier would keep her in check. Now it seemed as though that trust had been misplaced. The Black Queen proved more devious than they ever could have imagined.

"Mistress…no, traitor Selene!" said Scott, "You know this won't stand! Nobody betrays the Hellfire Club!"

"Little man…I AM the Hellfire Club now! And as far as I'm concerned, you're all the traitors. And you know what we do to traitors," she said with a mischievous grin.

"You crazy bitch!" yelled Logan as he lunged at her.

"Oh no you don't…"

From above, Magneto took over. Using the metal shards and debris he levitated from earlier he formed large metallic rods similar to the ones he used to bind Lorna. Then by the whim of his powers, he guided them towards the powerless pawns below. They all tried to get away, but they could not escape. One by one, they were each bound by unbreakable metal bonds. Their arms and legs were tied up, causing them to fall to the ground. Now with no powers, no support, and no hope the young pawns were left struggling.

"No! This can't be happening!" said Jubilee, who was really starting to panic.

"Jean, can you break this spell?" exclaimed Scott.

"I…I don't think so," said Jean, unable to concentrate or focus, "This spell is too advanced! But maybe I can…"

Then another surprising voice stepped in and silenced her.

"Oh no you don't!" said Wanda, using her hex bolts to shock Jean and nearly knock her out.

When Pietro and the others saw this he was shocked. They then watched as Magneto descended to the ground with Lorna still hovering next to him and causally stood beside his estranged daughter. There was no malice or anger like there had been earlier. In fact there seemed to be a certain level of respect now, as if this is what they both had been hoping for.

"Wanda?! What are you doing?!" exclaimed Pietro.

"What does it look like, brother? I'm serving my Mistress," said Wanda, "And I decided that father and I could finally see eye to eye on a few things."

"Indeed," grinned Magneto with an approving gesture.

"Even after all he's done?! What about all those things you said about him?!"

"I said exactly what I wanted you to hear," said Wanda in an almost casual tone, "I do what I have to. You of all people should understand that."

Wanda then hit everybody bound in their metal binds with a round of painful hex bolts. They all let out cries of pain, not just from her but from this situation as a whole. Their Mistress had finally betrayed them and she had plenty of help in doing so.

"You…you're a traitor too, Wanda," Lorna choked out.

"At least I didn't do it alone."

She then looked behind them and saw the others joining in on the moment. Warren, Alex, Tabitha, and Roberto each approached their downed comrades, looking every bit as smug and accomplished as their Mistress. It was a truly momentous sight. For months now they had been isolating themselves, having been cast aside by the other more experienced pawns who Xavier always favored. Now they were the ones with the upper hand and it felt good.

Still standing from afar, Emma watched this whole mess unfold before her eyes. Just as she finished up with the final assassin, she saw Selene descend upon this conflict and carry out the ultimate act of betrayal. She was hardly surprised, but she was still enraged. She was tempted to go over and beat her to a pulp, but Monet held her back. She stood in her way, giving her a knowing look.

"Monet, what the hell is going on?!" exclaimed Emma, "Are you part of this too?!"

"I am and so are you," she grinned, "You helped with this, remember?"

"What?! I helped you, not Selene! I would never help that bitch!"

"Well you did. By helping me you helped her. And because of that you'll have a chance at getting what you want. But like everything, there is a price to pay for such rewards. And unless you want to risk suffering the same fate as the others, you'll keep your mouth shut for the time being."

Emma was seething. This bitch tricked her into helping the person she despised most. She should have known something was up. And now it was too late. If she went back on it she would end up just like the others and she would lose her chance at vengeance. But if she stayed silent she would just be aiding Selene. It was a true dilemma. For a moment she fought with herself, debating on whether or not to push Monet aside or stay still. But in the end she went with the only path that made sense. She listened to Monet and stood still. But the anger in her eyes didn't wane.

As Wanda hexed each of her former fellow pawns, they drifted further into defeat. Some still struggled, but without their powers they were unable to escape. And without Charles Xavier, they were without support. It was truly a low moment for them.

"Pathetic," said Wanda, "Can we finish this already?"

"Not quite," said Selene, "I still don't see Sage or Danielle."

"Yeah, where are those two? I saw them near the crates earlier," said Warren.

"Oh they're still close," said Selene, "They're just being cowardly."

Then from the crates behind two figures emerged. Danielle and Sage, who had taken cover when they saw what was going on in front of them, came charging out armed with high powered rifles they had stolen from the Hand assassins. And they were bent on not letting this stand.

"Selene!" Sage yelled out, "You're going to pay for this!"

"Prepare to die!" Danielle proclaimed boldly.

They were just about to fire, but Selene didn't bother to move. She already knew what was going to happen to them.

Suddenly, Kurt teleported behind them with Betsy by his side. And before Sage and Danielle could get too far, Betsy formed two long psi blades and impaled them right through the back. This stopped them cold in their tracks, their faces contorting in a world of pain. And when the other pawns saw this they looked on in horror, watching as their final hope fell dead.

"Sage…no!" said Rogue as she watched on with shock.

"Danielle!" exclaimed Warpath in a rage of agony.

"I'm…sorry," Danielle choked out.

She then dropped the weapon and fell limply to the ground in a pool of her own blood. Sage fell slower, lingering for a bit and trying to stop the blooding. But even for her, a woman who could shut off her emotions like a computer, she could not hide the pain. She remained defiant, trying to literally crawl her way towards Selene. But the Black Queen just walked over to her with a snide grin and stepped on her neck, slowly applying more pressure until she choked on her own breath.

"A valiant but foolish attempt," said the Black Queen, "Xavier would be proud. Please send him my regards."

Selene then finished her off, crushing her neck and ending her life in a gruesome, unceremonious gesture. She was a big disappointed. Now she wouldn't be able to torment these two like she planned to do for the others. But they were acceptable losses. There would still be plenty of torture to go around.

Some of the other pawns had to look away from the sight of Sage and Danielle being killed before their eyes. Warpath was especially affected, given the connection he had to both of them. It more or less ended whatever hope they still had. But some still remained defiant.

"You…you won't get away with this!" yelled Laura.

"We'll find a way to make you pay for this you sick bitch!" yelled Logan.

"Ha! Your threats are empty at this late hour!" scoffed the Black Queen, "Can't you see? I've already won! All that's left now is to prepare yourselves for your punishment! Wanda, if you please…"

"Yes, my Mistress," said Wanda.

Wanda then hit everybody with a punishing hex bolt that knocked them all out cold. They each let out pained groans as they passed out. There was no other choice for them. Lord Xavier was gone. The Hellfire Club was now under Selene's control. That meant she could do whatever she wanted with them. And given her sadistic tastes they knew what they were in for. It was a fate worse then death in many ways, being defeated by Selene. She wasn't going to just send them to Hell. She was going to make them feel like they were already in Hell.

Once the pawns were unconscious, Selene and her minions gathered around to admire their victory. They were all excited about what this could bring. For Warren, it was a chance to indulge in every dark excess he ever wanted. For Betsy, it was a chance at being in control for once, being the one to inflict the pain rather than suffer from it. For Alex, it was a chance to rise above his brother in every way. For Roberto, it was a chance to wield power as his father always pushed him to. For Tabitha, it was a chance to dominate after being marginalized by everybody. And for Monet, it was a chance to wield power of a different kind.

But for Kurt and Wanda, it was just another step in serving Mistress Selene's plan. And now Magneto was a part of that plan, only he didn't know what he was getting into.

"Are we done here?" asked the master of magnetism.

"We're done, Erik," grinned Selene, "You did well playing your part."

"As did you and your followers. But what now? Wanda told me you had more plans beyond this and I am to be a part of them. And I still expect the compensation you offered me."

The Black Queen casually walked over to the master of magnetism and affectionately slithered her arms around his neck. Even for a man like Magneto, it was a lurid gesture from a very dark woman.

"Oh trust me, I do have plans and you will have plenty of chances to be compensated," she said in a sadistic tone, "But first, we're going to take these lowly creatures back to base with us and have a little fun!"

* * *

**Up next: With Xavier now gone, the pawns wake up to a grizzly reality and Selene gives them a taste of the wrath to come.**


	10. Despair and Destruction

**New Blood  
Chapter 10: Despair and Destruction**

**AN: I managed to get this up. It ended up being a lot darker than I originally planned. But I'm in such a lousy state of mind right now it's somewhat appropriate. Sorry for those who are faint of heart. This chapter does have some graphic themes like rape, incest, etc. But I watered it down so it's not too graphic. Feel free to review, but honestly I'm starting to not care anymore. I'm going to try and finish this story as soon as possible. So it shouldn't be long now.  
**

* * *

**Remy's Condominium**

It was eerily quiet in Remy's upscale condominium as Remy, Ororo, and Deadpool casually sat in his living room playing poker. The mood was tense and uneasy. And as the sun set outside and storm clouds gathered, an ominous feeling of foreboding dominated the three skilled thieves. Even Deadpool, who rarely took anything very seriously, understood the gravity of the situation. But as uneasy as they were, there was also a bit of anticipation.

This wasn't just a casual get-together. They weren't just hanging out and playing cards to pass the time. They were all waiting for something. They knew it was coming because Charles Xavier always tried to keep them in the loop. When something big went down, they were usually among the first to know. And something big was brewing. It was only a matter of time before it affected them. All they could do is wait for it to come and hope they had made the necessary preparations.

"Ha! Full house!" said Deadpool as he triumphantly showed his hand on the table.

"Pair of fives," sighed Ororo in a melancholy tone as she revealed her cards.

"Three of a kind," said Remy in a similar tone, "Looks like you win again, Wade."

"Jeez you guys! Could you at least try to make this game interesting?" exclaimed the merc with a mouth, "I know everything is going to hell right now, but at least pucker up for the last few hours! Who knows? It could be our last!"

"That's nothing to joke about," said Ororo distantly, "We all know what's going to happen to us. We all got the same emergency call from the Hellfire Club."

"No shit, beautiful. But come on! We knew it was inevitable! Why get all bent out of shape about it?"

"Didn't you promise you would try and take this seriously, home?" said Remy, not amused by Deadpool's attitude like he usually was.

"I am taking this seriously! I'm just trying to boost those spirits of yours! If this is going to go down we might as well get through it with a smile!"

Ororo and Remy rolled their eyes. Even in the face of such a grave threat, Deadpool's obnoxious persona persisted. They shouldn't have been surprised. Maybe it was just the tension of the moment affecting them. It almost made them envy the merc with a mouth because his unstable mind seemed like a nice escape from moments like this.

"Now what do you say we turn those frowns upside down and play a little Texas Hold 'Em?" said Deadpool as he started shuffling the cards, "We can even do a little strip poker of that'll perk you guys up!"

"How about we just stick to chips?" muttered Ororo.

"Ah you're no fun!"

"Just deal the dang cards," said Remy.

Deadpool shrugged and began dealing. But before they could begin their game there was a firm knock on Remy's door. The Cajun checked the clock. They were earlier than he and Ororo anticipated. But that didn't matter to them. They might as well get this over with.

"That who I think it is? Or did you call a hooker?" said Deadpool.

"It's him," said Remy, "Just keep dealing the cards and look defeated."

"Dang, and here I was hoping for a hooker," he said with a mock sigh.

The knocking persisted, but the three thieves didn't answer. Finally, an ominous growl echoed from the other side and the door was literally kicked in by an imposing figure. It was Sabretooth and he was on the hunt again. Behind him, a group of Selene's black masked Hellfire guards and some assassins from the Hand followed closely as he stormed into the opulent condo looking for his prey.

"Rrrrahhhhhhh! I know you punks are in here! Come on out and we'll make this quick!"

The feral mutant traced their scents up to this room and was expecting them to put up a major fight. That Selene lady told him these guys were master thieves and could pose a major challenge. But to his surprise they weren't trying to hide or anything. They were just sitting in the living room playing cards.

"The hell?!" he growled with the Hellfire and Hand guards right behind him.

"Hey there stranger! You want in?" said Deadpool casually, not paying attention to all the guns and swords pointed at him.

"What the hell is this?!"

"It's a pedicure salon that caters to high end clients with body hair problems," the merc answered playfully, "Hair is not despair. That's our motto. We're closed now, but if you want to make an appointment we can squeeze you in sometime between tomorrow and next Tuesday."

Sabretooth growled menacingly. Ororo and Remy couldn't help but laugh a little. As obnoxious as Deadpool was, he knew how to push someone's buttons. And this guy didn't like to be pushed. They didn't budge, even as the feral mutant came over to their table and slammed his fists down so hard he broke it in half. It got their attention and stopped the game.

"Guess we're playing charades now," shrugged Deadpool.

"Shut up!" roared Sabretooth, "One more word and I'll peel your skin off and rip your organs out one by one!"

"I'm flattered. But I don't swing that way," grinned Wade, "Not that there's anything wrong with that."

Sabretooth was about to rip this man to pieces. But then Ororo stepped in. As entertaining as it was to see Deadpool drive this man crazy, she knew what this was and she wanted to get it over with.

"Enough!" she said, using some wind to blow them apart, "We know why you're here. I take it someone from the Hellfire Club sent you."

"Finally, someone with half a brain!" said Sabretooth as he turned to Ororo, "Yeah, they sent me. They said you guys are Xavier's top mercs. And you won't work with anybody except him."

"The big man likes to flatter us, but you be right, homme," said Remy as he started casually shuffling a deck of cards, "But he ain't the one who sent you, is he?"

"Someone else has a brain too! Maybe you guys aren't as dumb as you look," grinned Sabretooth, "Xavier didn't send me. Hell, Xavier isn't going to be sending anybody from now on."

There was a heavy silence among the thieves. They didn't show much emotion, but the revelation did strike them just as Sabretooth expected.

"So…you killed him?" said Ororo.

"I wish," he grinned, "Let's just say there's been a little…accident. Now the new boss is looking to clean up his messes. That's what you three are."

Remy stopped shuffling his cards, but he didn't get up from his chair and neither did Deadpool or Ororo. They watched as the Hellfire guards and Hand assassins surrounded them, their guns pointed right at their heads. With just one order they could blow them all away. They probably had all the windows and exits covered as well. There was no escape.

"So let Remy see if he understands the situation here…" said the Cajun, "You bring this army here to let us know Xavier's dead and someone else is runnin' the show now. And whoever it is they clearly don't trust us. So either we gotta start working for you guys or all these nice hommes with the guns is gonna blow us all away. Is Remy right so far?"

"Almost," grinned Sabretooth, "But you're wrong about one part. The new order isn't offering you the chance to work for them. They know you'll never take it. You're all too soft for Xavier to work for anybody else."

"So what then? You're just here to kill us?" said Ororo bitterly.

"What do you think all these guns are for babe? But if I know you guys wouldn't even put up a fight, I would have come alone! You punks are pretty fucking stupid! You knew we were gonna come after you and you didn't do squat!"

The three thieves scorned the imposing mutant. This man was a far cry from the kind of people Xavier recruited. Whoever was running the Hellfire Club now had a piss poor sense of judgment. If they knew anything about them and the way Xavier operated, they would have known they wouldn't make it this easy for them. That would make what they were about to do all the more satisfying.

Then to Sabretooth's ire, the three thieves smiled. It was unexpected and even a little disturbing. That's when his heighten senses picked up on something he missed earlier.

"You're right. We did know you were coming," said Ororo, "And we know what you are going to do to us even if we tried to run. But that doesn't mean we didn't do anything to prepare."

"What kind of master thieves would we be if we didn't?" added Remy, "Just because we can't get away don't mean we can't fight back. Deadpool, you wanna show em now?"

"Aye captain! Next stop…Hell! Hahaha!" proclaimed Deadpool.

With a deranged look on his face, Deadpool reached into his pockets and pulled out two small remote controls. And before Sabretooth or any of his henchmen could pounce he pushed one of the buttons. A deafening bang followed.

BOOM!

The entire area surrounding the living room erupted in a burst of flames. Several high powered bombs went off simultaneously, destroying each surrounding room and taking out much of the force Sabretooth brought with him. Other bombs went out outside and around the areas, taking out more henchmen who had been watching the perimeter. He even heard explosions rumbling from a few floors below, most likely Ororo's apartment where he had more forces stationed. No doubt they were taken out as well. The initial blast blew them all back. Remy and Ororo were knocked out cold and took some heavy shrapnel. They could have been dead for all Sabretooth could figure. More bombs went off all around them, taking out other parts of the building and leaving no room for Sabretooth's forces to escape.

The only place where bombs didn't go off was the living room where it started. It was as if they specifically made it so everything around them would explode, leaving a small opening around them. Sabretooth, having been blown back against the wall groaned as his healing factor kicked in and he rose up. Fires had broken out all around him and many of the Hand assassins and elite guards lay dead in piles of charred flesh. With blood dripping down his face he narrowed his gaze on the thieves. Ororo and Remy were out, but Deadpool was still conscious. He looked bloodied as well, but he was still grinning and laughing like a madman. It was then he noticed the second remote.

"Thanks for dropping by, Sabey! Send the new crew my regards! It's been a blast! Hahahahaha!" proclaimed Deadpool.

"Oh fuck," groaned Sabretooth.

Deadpool hit the button on the remote and one last bomb went off. This time it was right under them. A huge explosion engulfed the room in flames, consuming all the forces Sabretooth brought with him and blowing him out a nearby window. He fell over thirty stories to the hard pavement below, landing on a car and crushing it with his body weight. Half his body was charred and he was in a world of pain. He growled in a rage. Now he wouldn't get a chance to tear those punks up limb from limb as they had probably been incinerated by the blast.

As he rolled off the crushed car, Sabretooth looked up to see the extent of the devastation to the condominium. Those thieves went all out. They didn't just rig their areas to blow. They rigged the whole thing. It was now a towering inferno, burning brightly in the evening sky. He could already hear panicked cries for help and fire alarms in the distance. It was not the kind of outcome he expected. Selene just sent him there to finish off those thieves, but they had to make it difficult for him. Even though he lost plenty of good Hellfire and Hand forces, at least he could be certain they had been taken out.

Even as his body started healing from the wounds he stumbled off into a nearby alley so he could avoid the crowds that were gathering around. He then took out his communicator and contacted Selene.

"Hey lady, it's me!" he growled, still stinging from the burns.

"_Sabretooth! What's going on over there? Nearly all my links with the other men just went dead!"_

"It was those punks!" growled Sabretooth, "They knew we were coming so they rigged the place to blow! I don't think any of the men you sent are coming back in one piece!"

Over the line he heard Selene utter a series of curses. She was no more amused by this student then he was. But he figured the losses would be acceptable to her so long as the job was done.

"Don't worry. They're still dead," said Sabretooth, "They didn't want to be taken alive and they wanted to take some people with them."

"_I should have expected as such from Xavier's loyal cronies. And it's too bad. I had such elaborate plans to torture them."_

"Want me to bring back some body parts?"

"_Don't bother. We have other concerns at the moment. Let the authorities stumble about from here and return to the manor. We're about to move forward and you won't want to miss what I have planned."_

"I won't. You can count on it," said Sabretooth with a sadistic grin, "What about that 'compensation' we talked about?"

"_It's almost ready. Just get back here and do your job! We're about to move forward."_

"I can't wait."

Despite his lingering injuries, Sabretooth ran off into the dreary evening. He had done his part. He killed the people Selene wanted him to kill. Now it was time to get collect his payment for such services. Only this time it would be something much more valuable than money. This time he would get vengeance, something he had been denied for many years. He longed for the day when he would get to torment the one he hated most. At long last that day had come and he wasn't going to miss it.

* * *

**Selene's Torture Chamber**

There was a saying among the Inner Circle. When given a choice between the eternal pits of Hell and Selene's torture chambers, only the wise choose Hell. The Black Queen's talents for torture were legendary. Her chambers had heard countless screams of those doomed to her torment. Usually her chambers were reserved for those whom the Hellfire Club deemed guilty of the greatest transgressions. But tonight was different. After years of sending others to be tortured in these chambers, the young pawns of the Hellfire Club were to be victims themselves.

"Time to wake up!" said a cold, commanding voice voice.

Suddenly, the group of pawns was abruptly woken up from their unconscious state when a group of Selene's elite masked guards threw buckets of ice cold water on them. Among the victims were Scott, Jean, Piotr, Rogue, Warpath, Pietro, Logan, Mystique, Bobby, Jubilee, Kitty, Sam, Lorna, Laura, and Julian. And when they awoke they were met with a dismal and disturbing sight. They were all bound by their wrists with metal shackles and that were hanging from the ceiling. They all hung suspended in a large circle around the perimeter of the dank and dingy chamber. They had all been stripped naked, leaving them exposed and vulnerable. They were also powerless, the same powerful spell that Selene had cast back at the pier still lingering. It was a cold, sickening feeling. And there was no escape.

Standing in the center of the circle were Selene and those that followed her. Standing by her were Wanda, Alex, Tabitha, Kurt, Warren, Betsy, and Roberto. Monet was also present but she was standing off in a corner with Magneto and Emma. There were also dozens of Selene's elite guards, each wearing black masks. Some were men, but there were a few women as well, most likely some sex workers Selene had trained. There were also a number of some of the Hand's top assassins, who were also wearing masks. The other pawns were outnumbered and powerless, leaving them at the mercy of Selene's wrath.

"Ungh…what's going on?" groaned Jubilee as her vision cleared.

"Oh no…please tell me this is a dream," lamented Julian.

"It's no dream, I assure you," said Wanda, using her hex powers to shut them up, "You all know where you are and you know what this is. So don't bother trying to escape."

"To hell with that!" growled Laura as she immediately started thrashing about.

Right next to her was Logan and he started struggling as well.

"Rrrrrrr, when I get my hands on you…" he growled.

"You'll do nothing and you damn well know it," grinned Roberto.

"Yeah, we're through taking orders from you guys!" said Tabitha, "You think we were just going to take being second rate pawns forever? I mean seriously, what do you take us for?"

"You're a fool! You're all fools! You're trusting Selene for crying out loud!" exclaimed Jean.

"We're trusting the side of darkness, not Xavier's pitiful concept of balance and reason" said Wanda strongly, "And now he's dead and so are his ways. Mistress Selene is the one with the power now and you'll answer to her!"

"Fuck you, Wanda!" shot Rogue angrily as she struggled with her shackles, "Ah always knew you would screw us all over!"

"You might want to reconsider your choice of words, Rogue," grinned Warren.

"Fuck you too, Warren!" she spat, "Fuck every last one of ya! You're all traitors!"

"From where we're standing, you're the ones who are the traitors," said Alex, "You made your choices and we made ours. You just made the wrong ones."

"Alex, have you completely lost it?!" exclaimed Scott, "Why are you helping them?! Why are any of you helping this traitor?!"

"Enough!" bellowed Selene.

The Black Queen hit Scott, Rogue, and everybody else with a potent shock spell. They all let out pained groans as their bodies stung from the impact. They were already in enough pain from when Wanda knocked them out on the pier. But this was just the beginning.

Selene stepped forward to address each pawn. She started walking by each of them, her sadistic gaze drifting down their naked bodies. But they weren't nearly as intimidated as her other victims were. These were not some ignorant prisoners. They were all trained in the ways of the Hellfire Club. They were hardened to brutality, violence, and sex. Even as she passed the younger pawns like Kitty, Julian, and Sam they looked defiant. But even the most hardened would fall to her torment.

"You're all pathetic," she told them sternly, "You and Xavier were set in your ways. You were willing to do anything for him. You blindly followed his philosophies because they seemed more reasonable. You were all willing to embrace your inner darkness. You've killed and beaten your enemies into oblivion. But you never crossed the line. You never truly embraced the power of darkness in all its glory! And now it's too late."

"Is that what this is about?" scoffed Warpath, "We just weren't dark enough for you?!"

"Hardly," scoffed the Black Queen, "This isn't about you or Xavier or even the Hellfire Club! This is about my goals! My plans! I've lived centuries on this planet working hard to attain that which is rightfully mine and when it is finally within my grasp, you and Xavier get in my way! Well tonight it ends here!"

"And let me guess…if we don't reject Xavier and help you you'll torture us to death?" said Mystique bitterly.

Most everybody cringed at that notion. Then the Black Queen walked over to the shape shifter and smiled sadistically.

"I don't want or need your help. I could easily just kill you all and carry on without any issues whatsoever. But honestly, where's the fun in that?"

The dark tone in her voice sent shivers through even the most hardened members. They watched as Selene returned to the center of the room where a table of ominous torture devices and mystical artifacts were laid out. She then took a whip and gripped it firmly.

"Here's what's going to happen," she began, "My minions and I are going to have our wicked way with you. We're going to ravage every one of you until you're of no further use to us. Then, slowly and painfully, we will cut, burn, and mutilate every last bit of your flesh until you're nothing but a stain on my chamber floor! And only after you've suffered the worst pain and torment imaginable will I then allow you to embrace death's sweet grasp!"

Even the toughest spirits couldn't help but shutter at her words. They knew better than anybody that Selene never made a threat she couldn't deliver on. But this wasn't just a threat. It was a promise. She was going to rape and torture them to death in ways that defied description. Those that had been clinging to a fragile hope earlier were beginning to lose it.

"No…this is a bad dream!" said Kitty, closing her eyes and trying to wake up.

"I assure you, Katya, it's no dream," said Piotr, who was missing his strength right now.

"I can't believe this is happening," Lorna said softy to herself.

"I can't believe this is how it's going to end," said Bobby.

"You're going to regret this, Selene!" yelled Warpath, remained defiant like the warrior he was, "I swear you'll suffer from this!"

"You can beg and resist all you want, but it'll do you no good," said the Black Queen with a dark grin, "This is your fate and the fate of all those who oppose me! Accept it now and prepare for a long night of torment!"

Selene then stepped aside and let her apprentice, Wanda Maximoff, take it from there. Her eyes started glowing a bright purplish color, the same as her hex bolts, and she chanted several enchanted phrases to cast a spell. Suddenly a dark aura of purplish energy consumed each pawn. And when it hit them their world erupted in a fury of pain.

It was agony. Pained cries and grunts echoed through the walls. It was like every pain nerve was being shocked all at once and every ounce of control they had was being systematically shut down. Some tried to fight it, but nobody could resist. They were powerless and weak in the face of this assault. And Wanda took no chances. Her expression seethed with hatred and grit. She even intensified the power even after everybody stopped resisting. She didn't care that she was doing this to her own brother and half sister. All that mattered was the carrying out the wrath of Selene.

For her and the rest of the Selene's minions, it was a triumphant moment. But for Magneto and Emma, it was more than they bargained for.

"Wanda…what is she doing?" said Erik, watching with mixed emotions at the look in her eye.

"Just a little paralysis spell," said Monet casually, "She's been practicing it for a while now. It'll keep these little dogs nice and submissive while we have fun with them."

"Fun? You call this fun?" scoffed Magneto, "I was led to believe this was retribution! You never told me there would be this!"

"This is what you wanted, isn't it?" said Monet, "To see your enemies tremble and to wield power over the weak? Moreover, you're seeing your own daughter take up the mantle. You should be proud."

"But she's tormenting her own brother! And Lorna!" he exclaimed.

"So what? They're weak like the others. Shouldn't they deserve the same wrath?"

Magneto was torn and enraged. He wanted his children to become strong and resolute, but he didn't want them to become monsters. The look in Wanda's eyes wasn't that of strength, it was just plain cruelty. He could see it being done to an enemy, but he didn't even know many of these young mutants and some might not even have anything to do with his imprisonment. That was not his way. And watching Wanda torture her own family was crossing a line. He had his disagreements with Pietro, but he never would resort to this. He couldn't let this continue.

But just as he stepped forth, Selene emerged from the circle and stood in his way. She had a feeling this might happen, but luckily she prepared for it.

"You're not having second thoughts now, Erik?" she said menacingly.

"This isn't what I wanted! You didn't tell me this would devolve into such…such madness!" he said, his eyes locked on Wanda.

"Madness? Ha! Madness is only freedom from constraint," laughed Selene, "To become mad is to truly become free! And powerful!"

"You're testing my patience, Selene! Stop this now or I will!" the master of magnetism demanded.

"No you won't," grinned the Black Queen, "In fact, I think you're going to join us."

Then Selene unexpectedly lunged forth and pulled Magneto into a powerful kiss. It caught the old man off guard, but as soon as her lips made contact with his a new energy surged through him. Then Selene whispered a spell into his ear and he felt something he never felt before.

"Augh!" Magneto groaned as he clutched his head.

His eyes flashed red and his poise weakened. Deep within the recesses of his vulnerable and damaged mind, a now power seized his will. It was a power guided by Selene. It was a potent mind control and love spell, similar to the one she used on Kirigi. It took a weak or damaged mind and Magneto, for his years of isolation and tyrannical madness, was plenty damaged. So once she took hold, she didn't let go.

"Now then…are we going to have any problems?" she asked coyly.

"Nnn…no," he said, sounding like he was struggling with his own will.

"Are you going to behave and partake in the festivities?"

"Y-yes," said the old holocaust survivor.

"Good, then disrobe and get ready. We're going to have some fun!"

Emma Frost watched on in a mix of shock and anxiety. Magneto was one of the most powerful mutants on the planet. He had been able to evade psychic manipulation from Charles Xavier for years and yet with just one spell, the Black Queen took control of his will. And now he was her puppet. It was a fitting tactic, taking control of the master of magnetism after luring him into her game and getting him to fight the others. Now she was the only one left who wasn't under her control, leaving her in a very precarious position.

"Do you have anything else to add, Emma?" asked Monet, who started taking her clothes off.

Emma was silent for a moment, her eyes fixated on the others.

"No," she answered flatly.

"Are you going to join us? I've arranged for you to have some personal time with Scott and Jean. You'll get to do whatever you want to them."

Emma's gaze became fixated on Scott and Jean, each of who were groaning in pain as Wanda hexed them. The whole reason went along with Monet was because she wanted them to suffer for what they did to her. And now they were suffering and would surely suffer more. But it didn't make her feel vindicated as she wanted. It didn't make her feel any better whatsoever. All she could think about was the cold hard reality. She helped Selene kill Charles Xavier, the only man she ever truly respected. She had done a lot of bad things in her life and never felt all that guilty about any of them. But this time, she couldn't escape it.

"I need some space," she told Monet.

"You sure? They might be a little worn out after a while," she said with a sadistic grin.

"I'll be back," said Emma, "I just…need to get a way for a moment."

"Suit yourself," shrugged Monet, "But don't go too far. The manor is locked down."

"I know," she said, hugging her shoulders bitterly, "Believe me, I'm not going anywhere."

Emma slipped away, passing by the others as they kept groaning in pain. She tried to shut it out, but it was harder than she expected. And just as she was about to leave the chamber, she caught a glimpse of Scott and Jean. Both were in agony, but they were still able to push through it and look at her. And in their eyes she saw pure anger and hatred. They knew she helped with this. She was just as much a traitor as Selene. And that hatred, especially from Scott, hurt her more than she ever could have imagined.

Closing her eyes and shutting it out, Emma opened the chamber and retreated to the halls outside. There she started taking deep breaths and sank to the floor with her back against the wall. She could still hear the pained groans from inside. A mix if anger and sorrow came over her. She put her hands over her ears and tried to shut it out. But it was no use. She couldn't get over what she had done. Now Selene would have her way.

Back inside the chamber, Wanda finally halted her assault. When it was over, the former pawns went limp. Their bodies hung weakly from the chains, having been stripped of their strength and will to resist. Many were still groaning from the lingering pain. But this was just the beginning.

"Nice job, my apprentice," grinned Selene, "Now for the fun part! Is everybody ready?"

"Yes, Mistress," they all said in unison.

"Then let's get warmed up. You know what to do."

They all nodded and removed their clothes. Soon Kurt, Wanda, Warren, Betsy, Alex, Tabitha, Roberto, and Monet all stood naked with their mistress, who had disrobed as well. The rest of the guards also got undressed, stripping everything off except their masks. Then one by one, the guards took each prisoner and undid the chains binding their wrists. They then let the naked bodies of the former pawns fall limply onto the cold hard floor. They were all still conscious, but very much weakened. It looked as though they were trying to move, but their bodies wouldn't let them.

"Can't…move," grunted Laura.

"Of course you can't," grinned Selene, "Your bodies have been fully paralyzed. This should keep you nice and docile while my guards have a little fun! But first, let us set the mood. Wanda, if you please."

Wanda stepped forward again and did the honors. She chanted another around of phrases to cast a spell. Her eyes started glowing again, this time a bright pinkish red color. That same hue of energy shot out and engulfed the pawns. They all let out a groan of discomfort as a new energy came over them. Only this was different than before. This time they felt an awkward shift within their bodies. It was as if something was reaching inside them and directing their bodily functions against their will. The functions it focused on were all sexual. The men and woman became insatiably aroused. It was awkward and a little painful, carrying with it a sick sense of violation and an utter loss of control. Moreover, they were all kept fully conscious and aware of it so they could experience every moment of what was about to happen to them.

"Hnnn…my body," groaned Jubilee.

"Why…why does it hurt?" said Pietro, feeling a pain in his arousal.

"There's always a fine line between pain and pleasure. I'm just giving it a nudge in the right direction!" Selene said intently as she walked up to the speedster, "Now let torture begin!"

The pawns could do nothing other than brace themselves. They knew Selene's guards were going to rape and brutalize them. All they could do was hold on and try and get through it. They watched as Selene's guards followed their master's orders. The men split up into pairs of two and took a woman. Each of the female guards took a man. Because of their paralyzed state they couldn't move so the guards grabbed them if they were rag dolls. They then positioned them and in a rough, dominating manner they started raping them. Soon grunts and cries of pain and pleasure started echoing through the chamber.

The male guards were especially rough with the women. They seethed and grunted as they violated their bodies, filling them with the overwhelming sensations of pain and pleasure. They could only groan and gasp helplessly. They cried out, lamenting the pain while being maddened by the pleasure. But such cries fell on deaf ears. The more the struggled, the rougher the men were with them. There was no stopping them.

"Shut up and take it like the whores you are!" yelled Warren.

While the men brutalized the women, the female guard went to work on the men. In their paralyzed, vulnerable states they were each laid out on their backs . Then with a dark and sadistic lust, the women got on top of them and pinned them hard by their arms. They then started ravaging them in their own, filling themselves with pleasure and the men with pain. Under Wanda's spell, they were used like puppets. The women seethed intently as they pushed the men to the limits of pleasure and pain. It was a total loss of control. They had no grasp on anything. They were completely at the mercy of their tormentors.

"Uh-uh-augh-it hurts! You crazy bitch you-ahhhhh!" grunted the men as more pain washed over them.

"Of course it hurts," grinned Wanda, "We're the ones taking all the pleasure. So you're left with the pain! Ha!"

It wasn't like normal sex in any respect. Where they would usually feel pleasure, they would feel pain. Every sensation, every movement of their bodies, and every fleshly sensations was turned into a mix of bliss to agony. It was like the signals from their bodies were being jumbled. It made this feeling of violation, humiliation, and domination even worse. It was bad enough they were being forced to do these things, but Selene had to use magic to make sure they felt more pain as they did it. It was the kind of torture that weakened the mind, body, and spirit all at once. And their suffering was their tormenter's ecstasy.

As the male guards raped the women and the female guards ravaged the men, Selene's minions gathered around to admire the sight and sounds. Kurt stood between Rogue and Mystique, watching with a hallowed expression as they were raped. He wasn't at all affected by it. The darkness had taken hold. And yet he didn't seem to relish in it like the others. He just accepted it. Warren was a bit more active in his observations, standing over Kitty as she was raped. At times he struck her, forcing her to suck the guard off harder. Betsy was next to him, standing over Piotr as was ravaged. Even in her submissive state, she relished the feeling of being in control after having been the victim for so long. Soon she was seething with the same dark lust as Warren and occasionally struck the imposing Russian to get herself going.

Alex loomed over his brother and Jean, watching with a sick sense of satisfaction as the brother who held him back since his arrival was humiliated and ravaged along with his lover. Now he was the one with the power and he loved it. Tabitha felt it too as she loomed over Sam, who became somewhat of a leader among the young pawns and always seemed to criticize her for her rebellious nature. Now criticism was the last thing on his mind and she loved watching him struggle. Roberto hovered over Jubilee and Laura, listening as they moaned and grunted as the men fucked them. He kept telling them to do them harder, loving the commanding feeling he had over them. It was just like his father described, only better. Monet was next to him, looming over Julian and barking more orders to really push the young man's limits. Being the perfectionist she was, she wanted to leave nothing to chance. And unlike all her previous endeavors, she had an unparalleled power over someone. It was a rush she never got before and one she savored every second of.

For Wanda, it was an especially powerful moment. She was hovering over Pietro and Lorna with her father by her side, who was still dazed from the spell Selene put on him. She bore no compassion for her family. To them they were more than just traitors to her mistress. They were traitors to her and everything she stood for. So she made it especially unpleasant for them, hitting them with hex bolts as they were raped.

"Yes! Yes! Yeeessssss!" she seethed, "Take it! Take the wrath you've earned yourselves for opposing me!"

"Ahhhhhhhh Wanda! Wanda please stop this!" cried Lorna, "Augh! Think about what you're doing!"

"I know what I'm doing!" she proclaimed, "And father knows as well. He's in agreement that all those who oppose us, even family, must suffer. Isn't that right, father?"

Magneto's expression tensed, showing signs of mental struggle. But he still answered.

"Y-yes," he grunted.

"Augh!" groaned Pietro as another hex bolt hit him, "Father! Augh-you are weak!"

His words did little to change his father's demeanor. He just kept watching as the guards raped them and Wanda hexed them, showing no emotion or concern. It seemed as though he was under their power as well, lost in the darkness.

At the center of it all, Selene loomed over Warpath as the female guards continued to ravage him. By now he had scratch marks all over his upper body. Being the tough Apache warrior he was, he endured better than the others. But Selene always loved a challenge and this was just setting the stage.

"Yes! YES! That's it! Fuck them harder! Fuck them faster! Get rough with them! Show them true dominance!"

Using more magic, Selene pushed the male and female guards to doing it harder and holding out longer. It built up their orgasms, magnifying the pleasure. And the more intense the pleasure they felt, the more intense the torment was for the others. As they drew near it was unbearable. Even Warpath struggled to fight it.

"That's it my minions! Embrace it together! Fill them with darkness!" she commanded, "Oh and ladies, I took the liberty of deactivating your birth control implants! Before you die you might as well take a chance at being knocked up! Ha!"

This revelation horrified the women even more. Some started struggling again, but it was no use. The men were going to fill them up inside and nothing would be protecting them from pregnancy. And knowing Selene, she might just keep them alive long enough for them to suffer through it. The violation and humiliation added to the pain. Soon the guards were all climaxing. It was ecstasy for them, agony for the others. And even after it passed, they were all still aroused, kept going by Selene's magic. It was an ominous sign that this was just the beginning.

"Ahhhhhh-stop it! Stop it!" cried Kitty.

"Oh stop you're whining!" spat Selene, "That was just a warm-up! Now it's our turn! My minions, you know what to do! Go ahead and enjoy yourselves!"

"With pleasure, Mistress!" they all said in unison.

The female guard who had been ravaging Warpath got off to let Selene position herself over him. James Poundstar, as tough a warrior he was, couldn't help but be struck by the dominating nature of this woman. He was already reeling from the first round. But he had a feeling Selene was going to be much rougher.

"All great warriors eventually surrender," said Selene in a dominating tone as she mounted him, "Your time has come!"

"Fuck…you," grunted Warpath in defiance.

"Ha! Some warrior you are. Let's see how you handle true darkness!"

The Black Queen gripped his shoulders firmly, digging her nails into some of the scratch marks left behind in the process. Then she went to work on him. She let out a sickening moan of satisfaction, savoring in the domination and the dark bliss that consumed her. Warpath could only grunt in pain, watching as this sinister woman ravaged him.

Following her Mistress's lead, Wanda had something in mind to torment Pietro and Lorna as well. She ordered the male and female guards off of them and hit them with another hex bolt. This time she levitated their limb bodies in the air, moving in closer so she could see both their dazed and confused faces. They looked pretty out of it. But she wasn't going to let up.

"Wanda…" groaned Pietro.

"Save your breath. You'll be needing it!" she grinned, "Given you are family, I'll give you some special treatment. And since you and Lorna have become so close, why not get even closer?"

Neither one of them liked what that implied. But Wanda didn't give them much time to think about it. Using her hex powers, she rearranged their bodies so that Lorna was on her hands and knees and Pietro was behind her propped up on his knees. They trembled at what she was about to have them do, but there was no stopping her. Their bodies were at the mercy of her powers.

"No…not this!" gasped Lorna.

"Please Wanda…don't make me do this," said Pietro.

"Too late, dear brother," she said in a cold tone.

Clenching her fist, she forced Pietro to rape Lorna. It was a sick feeling, but one they couldn't fight. Wanda seethed with darkness, urging them on and guiding them with their powers. Wanda watched as the sordid sight unfolded while their faces contorted with pain and disgust. Magneto watched as well, still as hallowed and dazed as before. But even his expression contorted to such a lurid sight. Watching this was so overwhelming she could no longer resist her own arousal. While maintaining control of her siblings, she turned to the man and woman who had ravaged Pietro and Lorna earlier.

"You there!" she said, pointing to the woman, "Get up against the wall and let my father fuck you."

The woman nodded and did as she was told.

"Go ahead, father. Join in the fun!" grinned Wanda.

Magneto nodded tenuously and did as she commanded. It was an invigorating sight for Wanda, who loved having this kind of power over her family.

"You!" she said to the man, "Get on you back."

The man wisely obeyed and did as she said. And while keeping a firm hold on Pietro and Lorna, she straddled him and started ravaging him as well. As she got her pleasure kept an eye on Pietro and Lorna the entire time. She made sure they felt pain while she felt pleasure. It was the perfect way to torture them. Wanda was in ecstasy, tormenting her family and enjoying herself. Next to her, Kurt followed her lead. He ordered the men off Rogue and Mystique and hovered over them, taking in their dazed and pained expressions. He didn't relish in them like Wanda did, but he was completely unaffected and without remorse. It was disturbing and disheartening.

"Kurt…stop this now!" said Mystique, trying to use whatever parental authority she might have left.

"It's too late for zhat, mother," he said flatly as he loomed over Rogue, "I have no choice."

"Yes you do!" exclaimed Rogue, "We're…we're your family, Kurt! Snap out of it!"

"I'm sorry, my sister. But I have to do zhis."

Kurt shifted Rogue's naked body. Then he grabbed her and forced himself on her. Rogue watched helplessly as he started raping her. It made her even sicker than before. Rogue couldn't believe it. Her own foster brother was raping her. She tried to shut it out, but that was all but impossible.

"Rogue…" said Mystique in horror, "Kurt stop this! She's your sister!"

"Not by blood," seethed Kurt.

"Damn it, Kurt! Stop this or I'll…"

"Please don't resist, mother," said Kurt as he slowed down briefly, "Mistress Selene has already planned something for you."

Kurt then turned towards Wanda, who was still riding the guard while manipulating Pietro and Lorna. She then gave the signal for a new presence to enter. From a small concealed door behind where Mystique was lying helplessly, an imposing presence stepped forth. It was a presence Mystique recognized all too well and one Logan, who was lying across from her, recognized as well.

"Heya bitch. Long time no see," grinned Sabretooth.

"Victor?!" she exclaimed.

"Sabretooth!" growled Logan, who was still paralyzed and covered in bloodied bite marks, "I should have known you'd get caught up with scum like this!"

"Nice to see you too, Logan," growled the feral mutant, "Man, when I heard you were here I was pumped enough! But when I heard my ex was here I just had to get involved."

"Ex?! You're crazy, Creed!" grunted Logan, who was still struggling to move.

"Am I?" growled Sabretooth and he hovered over the naked Mystique and affectionately caressed her face, "I take it you didn't tell him about us. I'm kind of hurt. How can you not tell him all the stories about how you and me used to paint the town red all over Europe while you were just a gun for hire. We had a lot of fun together on and off the battlefield. You look just as hot naked as you did back then."

"Shut up!" spat Mystique, "We…we had nothing! You used me to fight your own enemies!"

"That still didn't mean you felt nothing for me, babe," grinned Victor as he hungrily groped her, "Yeah, I used you. I needed someone like you to get to the enemies I had to get to. But you can't deny you enjoyed it while it lasted. After all, you always had a weakness for brutes. Eh Wolverine?"

Logan growled in a rage. He didn't want to believe a word of what he said. But the look on Raven's face told the story. Her expression sank in a fit of sorrow and remorse. She wasn't the kind of woman who regretted much, but this definitely seemed like something she wished she avoided. And once again, it came back to haunt her.

"Shut up! Say one more word and I'll…"

"You ain't gonna do nothing, cripple!" growled Sabretooth, "You're going to lay there while I fuck this bitch long and hard! You just better pray you don't feel anything for her because when I get through with her no amount of shape shifting will save her! Ha!"

Logan could only watch and snarl as Sabretooth ripped off his clothes and took the shape shifter's limp body into his arms. He then laid her down and started raping her. Mystique let out a pained gasp. But that only seemed to encourage Sabretooth.

"Oh yeah, I missed this!" he howled, "You watchin' this, Wolverinea?!"

Logan, despite his pained and paralyzed state, was furious. Watching his greatest nemesis ravage Raven, a women he had been getting closer to ever since Jean, was almost as painful as the torment he suffered. It was difficult to watch and endure. He wanted desperately to rise up and cut Creed down to shreds, but he was still paralyzed and helpless.

"CREED!" growled Logan in a rage.

"Ah could somebody shut him up?!" grunted Sabretooth as he kept fucking the shape shifter, "I'm busy here!"

"Perhaps I can help," said Monet, who was nearby.

Logan turned slightly to see Monet looming over Julian and Laura. The guards were still fondling them, but Monet clearly had something else in mind. When Logan saw this woman he growled angrily at her, but she was unaffected.

"Better to do something about that mouth of yours," she said as she then turned to the guards, "Bring them over here. And get a gag!"

The two male and two female guards did as they were told, picking up Laura and Julian and bringing them over to where Logan was lying limply on the floor. Along the way one of the women picked up a gag from the table and gave it to Monet. Once in hand she grabbed Logan by his burly face and shoved it in and secured it so he couldn't spit it out. She then looked over at Laura and Julian. It was then he figured out what she had in mind.

"Much better," she said as she playfully swatted his face, "I've been working on my telepathy and I've been looking to test it. And since you and Laura are so close, why not get a little closer?"

Logan let out a muffled growl, but Monet ignored it and moved along with her plan. Using her telepathy, she ordered Logan and Laura's bodies to get into a new position. It wasn't as coordinated as Wanda's hexing powers, but it worked. Laura lay down on her back and Logan got on his knees and grabbed her by the thighs. Then, without any control over his body, he started raping her.

"Grrrrrrrr you bitch! You're sick! You're a coward! You and everybody like Selene!" grunted Laura, who was unable to resist.

"Looks like we'll have to do something about your mouth as well," grinned Monet.

Snapping her fingers, one of the male guards retrieved another gag for her. Then with Logan still hovering over her, Monet leaned in and gagged her so she wouldn't give her any of that Wolverine-like lip that was so annoying. Once she was gagged she gave Logan the command to do it harder. Both he and Laura let out muffled growls, pained and sickened by what they were doing. Their bodies were acting without their minds. LAnd there was nothing he could do about it.

"Hahahaha!" laughed Sabretooth as he kept ravaging Mystique, "I always did tell you to go fuck yourself, but this is rich! Ha!"

Logan and Laura, gagged and paralyzed, tried not to look at one another as this was going on. They maintained their stern gaze, growling and grunting to shut the pain and the disgust out. All the while Julian and Mystique were watching. It was a lurid sight and one both Sabretooth and Monet found amusing. Julian thought he had seen some messed up things since he saw the Hellfire Club, but this was beyond description.

"Monet…you're sick," said Julian in a weakened tone.

"Oh so now you're defending them? I should have figured. You always did have a soft spot for her," scoffed Monet.

Laura looked over at Julian as her body jerked back and forth to Logan's thrusting. He gave her a look of sorrow, showing he did care. It wasn't something he showed often, but at a time like this it didn't matter. She could only stare back, letting him know she understood. But Monet would exploit this.

"Since you like her so much, I'll let you watch her get raped while I have my way with you," she grinned, "All this fun is getting me worked up as well. You're a young strapping lad, I'm sure you can keep me entertained for a while."

Julian just shot her an angry scowl. She dragged his naked body over so he was right next to Laura and Logan. Then Monet laid him out so he was on his back with his hands at his side. She slithered on top of him and started going to work on him. Guided by her enhanced strength and the techniques she learned from Selene, she seethed with euphoria as he moaned out in pain.

While Monet, Kurt, and Sabretooth worked their victims over, Roberto and Tabitha teamed up as well to torment Bobby, Jubilee, and Sam. After the male and female guards were done with them, they hovered over them and admired their state. In the time since they all joined, the two of them had been left behind while these three moved up. Sam became more of a leader, Bobby got better jobs in the field, and Jubilee got to learn some executive skills with X-Industrial. For a while it helped them rise above them, but not anymore.

"Look at you," Roberto taunted, "You guys played by the rules. You followed Xavier, not giving darkness a chance."

"And now look at you," taunted Tabitha, "You're being raped and tortured. And you know why?"

"Because…you're both traitors and you followed Selene?" grunted Bobby.

Tabitha tossed a small energy bomb on his chest that blew up, leaving a small burn just to punish him for that.

"No, it's because we're stronger," she answered, "Darkness always wins out. If you were just a little more open to it you would know."

"You're both…fools," said Sam, "Selene…will never share her power with you."

"You're wrong," grinned Roberto, "She already has! Allow me to demonstrate."

Roberto grabbed Jubilee, who was still sitting limply against the wall. He pulled her up and pinned her against it so she was now facing away from him. Then with a fiery glow in his eyes, he started raping her. When he did this, Jubilee cried out in pain while he moaned in pleasure. Like the rest of Selene's followers, the pain of their victims was their pleasure.

"Ahhhhhhhh!" she cried out.

"Ohhhh yeah!" Roberto proclaimed, "Your painis my pleasure!"

Bobby and Sam could only watch on in dismay. It was a sick way to torment them. Their pain became their pleasure. It gave them a major imperative to make them suffer. And they weren't going to let up.

"See? This is what darkness offers! This is what we embrace!" proclaimed Tabitha, "You had your chance. Now it's time to pay the price!"

Tabitha then went to work indulging in the dark feeling as well. She sat Sam up so his back was against the wall and straddled his waist. She then grabbed onto him and started ravaging him. As with Jubilee and Roberto, it felt good for her but not for Sam. As she did this she forced Bobby up so he was leaning against the wall. She then grabbed his arousal and started orally teasing him with the intent to cause pain and discomfort. And soon both men were groaning in agony. The darkness was tormenting them and it wasn't letting up.

Near the center of the chamber, Warren and Betsy were also working together to torture Piotr and Kitty. Warren had already pulled Kitty off the guard who had been raping her and laid her on the floor faced down so he have a go. He quickly got into it, listening to Kitty groan every step of the way. Betsy was a little less certain. She had been submissive for so long she wasn't sure how to dominate someone like this. Piotr's imposing body was lying on the floor next to Kitty. She was on top of him roughly groping his manly flesh. But she wasn't taking it to extremes.

"Come on, Betsy! Don't be shy! Let it out!" grunted Warren as he slowed his thrusts into Kitty.

"I want to," she said in a dark tone, "But I've never had this kind of control before. I don't know how to use it."

"Yes you do," grinned the winged mutant, "That man under you is your personal slave. Let the darkness guide you just as I showed you! Make him suffer! The more he suffers the more pleasure you feel!"

"Piotr…" said Kitty as she heard this.

"Shut up!" Warren said sharply, "Do it Betsy!"

The purple haired ninja looked down at the imposing Russian with a cold, desolate look. She thought back to all those nights Warren spent with her, opening her to these dark feelings. It created a burning desire in her to indulge and control. And this man was at her mercy. She could do whatever she wanted to him. With that in mind, she followed the darkness into ecstasy. She started working him hard. She wasn't too rough at first, but when she got a taste of the pleasure she really stepped it up. It was a power and control unlike anything she experienced, even before the Hand took control of her. As the dark feeling surged through her she showed a rough side she never showed before. And the more pain he felt, the more pleasure she experienced.

Warren and Betsy indulged in the dark feeling at Kitty and Piotr's expense. Their captive victims could do nothing but endure. As it was going on Kitty looked over at Piotr, trying to draw strength from his gaze. As this was going on they realized they never got a chance to get closer. There was so much they wanted to do together and now it seemed as though they would never get their chance. But Betsy and Warren wouldn't let them draw strength from anywhere. They forced them to look away and continued to ravage them, inflicting more pain and taking more pleasure for themselves.

Not far from Warren and Betsy, Alex was in position to have his way with Jean. Once the men were done with her he turned her over so she was on her hands and knees. He then got behind her and hungrily groped her flesh. There was so much he wanted to do to torment his brother. He used to just want to be his equal, showing that he could do anything he managed at the same level. But Selene made him realize that such aspirations were pitiful. His brother didn't respect him. He was just trying to turn him into a good little soldier. Now he was the one in control and he was going to see to it that he paid for what he did to him.

"Mmm…I see why you like this girl so much," grinned Alex.

"Damn you, Alex!" grunted Scott, who was still being ravaged by the female guard, "How-ugh-how can you do this?!"

"Oh that's easy!" scoffed Alex, "When you brought me here you said I could be more than just a punk with powers! You said I could make something of myself! But all you did the whole time I was here was hold me back! Well no more! Mistress Selene showed me how to rise above everything you ever attained! You worked hard, fought hard, and went along with Xavier get your status over the years! I just seized it in less than a day! And now I've got your girl here to celebrate!"

"Go to Hell!" grunted Scott.

"What? That's it? No lecture this time?" he taunted as he started shoving his fingers into Jean's pussy, "You're not the one in control anymore, Scott! You're at our mercy now! Just to prove it I'm going to fuck your girl right in front of you!"

Scott's expression seethed with pain and anger as he watched Alex roughly grab hold of Jean. From there he started raping her. Jean was panting hard from earlier, looking as though she was struggling with something inside her. She must have been trying to shut this out, but it was no use. As he ravaged her, he struck her hard, causing her to tense and groan. He also grabbed her long red hair and pulled it back along with her head, reaching around and shoving his fingers into her mouth as he fucked her.

It was painful and disheartening. Jean didn't say anything or get any words out. She just gasped and moaned in pain. Every sensation that would have been pleasure was sheer torment and Alex was loving it. As he fucked her he laughed triumphantly, looking over at Scott and watching as he tried to look away. But he couldn't because he was too weak and the woman who was ravaging him wouldn't let him.

"This bitch of yours is great!" grunted Alex, "I wish I could keep her alive just to fuck her like this while you watch!"

Alex sounded deranged. Scott knew that voice was a far cry from the brother he knew. Selene had completely corrupted him. He was a slave to darkness now, forgetting everything they had been through and everything that mattered. He was beyond saving now and not only was he suffering, but the woman he loved was suffering as well. Scott once swore he would never give into such despair, but for something like this it was hard not to.

Throughout the chamber the pained groans of the former pawns and the euphoric moans of Selene and her minions echoed with growing fervor. She could sense her followers embracing the darkness, relishing in the pain of their victims and the pleasure they took from it. It was her favorite kind of torture, taking the pain of their victims and turning into pleasure. Warren, Betsy, Kurt, Wanda, Tabitha, Roberto, Alex, and Monet made her proud. Even Sabretooth was showing a taste for cruelty by raping his former lover. It all came back to her and the darkness she instilled in them. And this was just the beginning.

"YES! YES! YEEEESSSSSSS! FUCK THEM! RAPE THEM! TORTURE THEM! MAKE THEM SUFFER! MAKE THEM ALL SUFFER!" proclaimed the Black Queen in a maddened rage as she continued to ride Warpath.

The dark bliss consumed them all. Moans of ecstasy erupted from her minions as they reached their first climax. But for the victims there was no climax or orgasm. It was all just wave after wave of violation and humiliation. And they didn't let up. Selene and her followers continued raping and tormenting them, seething with darkness and rage. Through pain and suffering, the young pawns began to lose hope. It was all falling apart. Selene had won. And darkness would triumph.

* * *

**Outside Condominium **

The area outside Remy and Ororo's condominium was chaos. People from the surrounding buildings evacuated while firefighters and police swarmed around the area, trying to contain the blaze and keep the peace. News vans had also shown up, follow up on the possibility that this could be a terrorist attack of some sorts. Civilians all around shared in that fear and waited tenuously for the situation to unfold. But they had no idea what had just transpired and just how many other forces were at work here.

The fire was still blazing, but it was shrinking with the help of the rain that started to fall from the dreary skies. There was a lot of debris and smoke littering the area. Anybody who had been inside when this all started was most likely dead or a pile of charred remains. Nobody had any idea that inside this building, the final vestige of Charles Xavier's Inner Circle had remained. Remy, Ororo, and Deadpool were his only trusted allies who had not succumbed to Selene's betrayal. And now they were gone and nobody would stand in Selene's way. She had the other pawns at her mercy and she had all the power of the Hellfire Club at her disposal. It seemed as though nothing would stop her.

In secluded parking lot less then a block away from the blaze, a collection of empty cars and vans sat silently in wake of the disaster. A number of people had been running by, drawn towards the flames. But when the swarm of observers died down and the commotion passed by the lot, a lone voice echoed from an old unmarked black van.

"Okay Danielle, you can stop now."

"Finally!" said the relieved voice of Danielle Moonstar.

Suddenly the area around the black van became wavy and distorted. Then like a veil being lifted from reality itself, the old unmarked van was no longer old anymore and several occupants were revealed inside. Among them were those thought to be dead by the Inner Circle. In the drivers seat was Sage and sitting next to her was Charles Xavier. In the back seat Moria and Rahne sat between Danielle, who looked as though she had just run a marathon. And behind them in the more spacious back were Remy, Ororo, and Deadpool.

"It's okay, lass. It's over. Take deep breaths and relax," said Moria as she let the young mutant lean on her and Rahne for support.

"I'm trying," she said in a fit of exhaustion, "I…I've never made illusions that strong for that long before."

"Well ye did it and ye did great!" said Rahne, "That was quite a show ye put on. Even I was fooled for a while."

"As was I," said Xavier, smiling back at her in approval.

"So…they bought it?" said Danielle in a tired tone.

"They bought every second of it," grinned the Black King, "They had no idea we slipped away. I knew as soon as the sensors on Muir Island went off that something was amiss."

"A pity we couldn't react in time to save it," said Sage.

"Yes, but those are the sacrifices we have to make. I only wish it didn't have to come to this," said the Black King distantly.

It was a remarkable act of deception. Charles Xavier and some of his most loyal and trusted allies escaped Selene's clutches by a vivid and perfectly controlled illusion. That illusion, which was too great for even the best psychic, could only be carried out by someone of Danielle Moonstar's unique talents. It was something she had been secretly training for over the course of the last nine months. She had done illusions before, but never like this. This encompassed multiple areas and multiple people. It shouldn't have been possible, but she just proved she could deceive the Black Queen herself.

As more crowds ran by, the smoke from the condominium was clearly visible. Ororo and Remy looked out the window at their once opulent home. It was disheartening they had to do this. But a fancy condo was an acceptable price to pay in order to avoid capture from the likes of Sinister and Selene.

"Ah arson, the forgotten art form," commented Deadpool, "I'm no artist but I know what I like."

"Speak for yourself, Wade. There goes all of Remy's stuff," sighed the Cajun.

"Yeah, but it's just stuff. We can always replace it," said Ororo, "I hope not too many people were hurt by those bombs. We did wire that place pretty extensively."

"I gave them all fair warning," said Xavier, "If they didn't heed it that's their own fault. I've also gone into some minds to make them all believe this was just a gas fire. The last thing we need are major authorities investigating a terrorist attack."

"Guess that's one less thing to worry about," said Ororo, "But I take it Selene has completely cut us all off from Hellfire's resources."

"You are correct," said Xavier, who was working on a laptop, "Selene didn't waste any time in seizing control of Hellfire's vast assets. By morning she'll have frozen all my accounts and take control of all our entities. For all intents and purposes, she'll be the most powerful person in the world."

"And ye know we just can't let that stand," said Rahne, "So how do we stop her?"

"Stopping her right now might be a bit of a stretch, lass," said Moria, "With all the forces of Hellfire under her control, it's next to impossible on our own."

"Which is why we have to free the other pawns," said Xavier strongly, "If we're to stand any chance at stopping the Black Queen, we need them."

"Great, a rescue mission," said Deadpool dryly, "Since when do we do rescue missions? What are we? A group of mutant heroes or something?"

"Hardly," said the Black King, "This is about strategy. We need all the forces we can muster to stop Selene. And I promised my pawns that I would come through for them should something like this happen. And I'm a man of my word."

Nobody argued that. Charles Xavier may be a ruthless, cutthroat man of power but when it came to keeping promises for loyal subordinates he was second to none. He, more than anybody, was enraged that Selene would do something like this. They knew she was devious and they all saw it coming, but it was still a travesty. And no amount of immortality or power would save her from the consequences.

"So we gotta rescue these other pawns, huh?" said Remy, "That means breakin' into Hellfire Manor, home of the best and most lethal security money can buy and where she's probably got every guard she can gather swarming the place with guns or some magic mojo to keep anyone and anything in or out. And that don't include any extra fail-safes she be putting in just in case."

"Yes, I'd say that sounds about right," said Sage, as stoic as always.

Remy and the others were silent for a moment. This was unlike any job they had ever taken on before. They were caught up in this Hellfire power play by Selene, someone who even by their standards was not a nice person. But there was no turning back now. They were officially dead and disposed of in the eyes of the rest of the world. There was nowhere else to go here but forward.

"Sounds like fun!" grinned Deadpool, "I'm game!"

"I thought you would be," smirked the Black King, "I'll also need your help too Remy. Both you and Ororo."

"Did Remy say he was turnin' away?" said the Cajun, "We came this far, haven't we? Ain't no going back now."

"And I've always wanted a shot at taking down that bitch, Selene," said Ororo strongly.

"Believe me, Storm. We all do," growled Rahne, "So what's the plan?"

The Black King grinned and turned towards Sage. He nodded, signaling her to start the van and begin driving. This was going to be a rough night to say the least. But if they were to have any chance at making the Black Queen pay for her crimes, they had to get through it by any means necessary.

"Since we're officially dead in the eyes of the Black Queen, we have the element of surprise on our hand. We also have a number of tricks up our sleeves that we'll have to deploy in order to pull this off."

"That's okay. Remy don't mind using some tricks," grinned the Cajun.

"Does that mean I'll have to do some more illusions?" said Danielle, who was still visibly spent.

"You might, my dear. But deception alone won't be enough to stop Selene. Make no mistake, she will not give us a wide margin of error. We'll also have to act fast. Selene will most likely start torturing the other pawns the moment she has the chance. And we cannot allow her to get too far. We have to end this before it begins. Understood?"

Everybody nodded, knowing full well what was at stake. The thought of going up against Selene was daunting, but she was someone they all yearned to take down. This woman had loomed over them like a parasite for too long now. It was time to strike back and they planned on hitting her hard.

"Quick question," said Deadpool, raising his hand and talking as if he was a kid in school, "Will this involve blowing up any more buildings?"

The Black King only smiled ominously. This was going to be a long night for everybody.

"We'll see, Wade. Just be patient. Now here's the plan…"

* * *

**Up next: All hope seems lost as the pawns endure more torture. There remains one last hope, but is it enough to stop the Black Queen? **


	11. Dead Reckoning

**New Blood  
Chapter 11: Dead Reckoning**

**AN: Here's another chapter. Still pretty dark compared to the last one. It's a running theme I guess. Hope you take the time to review. The more I get the more motivation I'll have to finish this. Thanks and again I apologize if the quality has shifted in wake of recent events.  
**

* * *

**Outside Selene's Torture Chamber**

It had been nearly two hours since Selene began torturing the pawns. They were two hours that felt like an eternity for Emma Frost. As Scott, Jean, and the rest of the pawns were raped and brutalized, Emma sat outside the chambers lost in her own world. She sat with her back against the chamber door, listening to the cries and groans of the other pawns as well as the sadistic taunting by Selene and her minions. She tried to shut it out as she often did whenever she did something she knew was wrong, but that was all but impossible at this point.

It was ironic. She wanted Scott and Jean to suffer for the pain she felt. And now they were suffering in ways that defied description. She could hear Jean groan as men raped her and Scott grunt in pain as Selene's minions brutalized him. And yet she didn't feel vindicated. It wasn't satisfying or fulfilling as she had hoped. It wasn't like when she watched Shanobi get tortured to death. She had been angry then just as she had been angry after Scott rejected her. But this was different. She had done so much more than just punish those who wronged her.

She kept thinking back to the first time Monet came to her offering to help. She was so angry and heartbroken, but she still knew just from looking that woman in the eye that she was up to no good. She knew and she did it anyways. She didn't even try to investigate what Monet might be planning. All that mattered to her was vengeance. And because of that, she betrayed the entire Hellfire Club. She betrayed Charles Xavier. But worst of all, she helped Selene.

'_What have I gotten myself into? I can't believe I actually helped that cold hearted bitch! I can't believe I…I helped kill Charles! Damn you, Monet! Damn you, Selene! Damn…Damn me.'_

Emma's expression sank as the pained groans from inside the chamber grew louder. It wouldn't be long now. After the men and women got tired of raping their victims, Selene would begin the real torture. She would start cutting up, mutilating, and burning her victims. It was the most grotesque and painful part of Selene's torture. It was also one of the parts she enjoyed the most. The more screams she heard the more she hated herself.

All this was done in the name of vengeance. But this wasn't vengeance. This wasn't punishment either. This was Selene and her followers seizing power and taking control over everything Charles Xavier built. This went beyond what happened between her and Scott. This was something so much bigger and she was a part of it now. Like it or not, she helped make this possible. She was responsible for the suffering of the others and the loss of the Black King. And she hated herself for it.

"I'm a monster," she said to herself, "I'm worse than Selene. Now what am I going to do? How the hell can I ever hope to fix this?"

It was a daunting question to her. And as she listened to pained cries of the others, it loomed over her more heavily. She couldn't just sit out here forever. She had to do something. Sooner or later she would have to make a choice. She could either go along with the woman she hated most or she could resist. They were both difficult choices, but she would have to make one soon. Scott, Jean, and the others wouldn't last much longer.

* * *

**Outside Hellfire Manor**

The black unmarked van pulled up to an open space along the curb just outside the gates of Hellfire Manor. Inside, Charles Xavier and his remaining allies looked out through the dreary evening conditions at the daunting task before them. They had succeeded in making Selene believe they were dead. They pulled off an elaborate ruse with the help of young Danielle Moonstar and her illusion casting powers. But deceiving Selene was just the first challenge. Now they had to free the other pawns and there was no doubt that the Black Queen wouldn't make it easy for them.

"So how we lookin', boss? How rough is this gonna be?" asked Remy as he tried to see through the rainy shroud."

"As rough as anyone dealing with Selene would," said Charles Xavier as he clutched his temples and psychically scanned the Manor, "I cannot sense what is inside. Selene had deployed all our psychic shielding to keep any other telepaths out. Outside she has deployed nearly every one of her elite guards. They are patrolling every inch of the estate."

"What about the security system?" asked Ororo as she surveyed the area with her keen thieving senses.

"Near as I can tell, she's deployed it on high alert. That means if it senses the slightest hint of an intruder, every room and floor will be locked down and the other pawns will have no hope of escape."

"Not just that, she's probably shut down all network connections going in and out of the building," added Moria, "So even if we did have control over other Hellfire branches, we wouldn't be able to contact them for their assistance or access additional resources."

"Not that it matters anyways. All our assets are frozen and every Hellfire subsidy is now under Selene's control," muttered Rahne distastefully, "As soon as the Black King was declared dead, it automatically defaulted to the Black Queen as laid out in Hellfire Club bylaws."

"Dang, who thought up that rule?" said the Cajun, "Remy's hopin' there's some good news in all this."

"There is," said Xavier firmly, "First, we have the element of surprise. Knowing Selene, she's probably preoccupied tormenting the other pawns. She has no idea we're still alive and is too focused on her sadistic goals to think otherwise."

"What kind of torment are we talking about here?" asked Danielle warily, "Will the others be okay?"

Xavier expression hardened. He knew better than anybody the kind of torture Selene was capable of. There was no doubt she was inflicting that torment on his pawns now. And if they were to have any hope of saving them they had to act fast.

"I'd rather not go into detail," said the Black King, "But I'm certain they're all still alive."

"How can you be sure of that?" asked Remy.

"Because it hasn't been long enough. She's probably still having them raped and humiliated. It's her way of breaking down the spirit before she gets to the really brutal parts. She likes to drag it out, keeping her victims alive until the last possible moment," he answered in a dark tone.

Remy fell silent. Even for someone who grew up in a criminal environment, that kind of sadism was disturbing. He knew this woman was dark. But if this is what she was capable of then she was more than dark. She was downright evil.

"Damn, that'll ruin your weekend," commented Deadpool, "So what's the plan for getting in? I hope we're not going to pose as Jehovah Witnesses, ring the bell, and ask if they've found Jesus. Because I left that outfit home and I do NOT look good in a suit."

"Not this time, Wade," said Xavier with a humored grin, "I managed to plan this far ahead to anticipate Selene's betrayal. I am just as capable of planning a countermove against her. Sage, would you please?"

"Already on it," said Sage.

A special compartment opened and Sage took out a laptop she had stashed away just for this occasion. Upon opening it she brought up a special program interface and sat it in the middle so the others could see what she had done and how it was going to help them pull this off.

"About a year ago, I began going through all of the Hellfire Club's backup servers and security programs making standard upgrades," Sage explained, "But in those upgrades, I snuck in a small program in certain areas that contains a mutating algorithm that randomly opens and closes specific indexes of code in the system that I can access at only through specific portals at specific times."

"Uh…could you explain that again in Farsi?" asked Deadpool.

"You don't speak Farsi," said Ororo in a bemused tone.

"I don't speak technoese either," he shrugged, "You mind simplifying it for those of us who don't have a computer for a brain, babe?"

"In simplest terms, I created a back door into the network that Selene doesn't know about," explained Sage as she continued typing.

"There, now wasn't that easier?" said Deadpool.

Sage ignored his obnoxious comments and continued by bringing up a detailed image of the Manor and the network capacity of its systems.

"At our present location, I can access some of the systems remotely. I can hit the main power relays, the perimeter systems, and even a few locks. However, in order to shut down the main security system and execute the primary failsafe we installed for Selene's takeover, I need to get inside and access the mainframe."

"Let Remy guess. The mainframe is in the heart of the manor and locked up tighter than croc's jaw," said Remy.

"Correct," affirmed Sage, "But unfortunately, it is the only way. So long as that system is up and Selene has control over it, getting the other pawns out will be next to impossible."

It was pretty limited option, but with Selene there were few windows and even fewer opportunities. They didn't have the luxury of attacking directly with overwhelming force. They had to be subtle and rely on their cunning.

"So how do we get inside?" asked Rahne, "And how do we get to the pawns?"

"That, my dear, I have already taken care of," said Xavier confidently.

Sage then brought up a layout of the outside perimeter of Hellfire Manor. She zoomed in on a couple of ordinary looking spots. Then she brought up a few small, but shrouded images.

"In order go get inside we'll use a secret underground train tunnel leading from the manor to X-Industrial. The previous Black King, Sebastian Shaw, had it put in as an emergency escape route. And he made sure nobody knew about it, not even Selene."

"So how do you know about it?" joked Remy.

"I have my ways," said Xavier vaguely and leaving it at that, "The tunnel has numerous access points in and out of the Manor. The one we'll have to use is in the back near the main fountain, which means we'll have to slip past Selene's security sentries."

"Shouldn't be too hard in this weather," said Ororo, "What about the perimeter alarms? Can those be shut off remotely?"

"Unfortunately they can't, but that's where you'll come in, Danielle," said Xavier, "I know you're still tired from earlier. But we'll need you again for this."

Danielle, who had been unexpectedly thrust into this secret affair from the beginning, had a lot riding on her. She didn't have the experience or authority that Xavier, Moria, Rhane, Remy, Ororo, and Deadpool had. She was still a young pawn who had only been with the Hellfire Club a year. And already she was being relied on to save it. But the Black King put a lot of faith in her from the beginning. She wasn't about to let him down.

"I can manage," she said, "But I won't be able to create illusions to the extent I did before. I'll only be able to make them localized and concentrated."

"We understand, lass. But we'll make due," said Moria with a reassuring smile.

"We'll have to. You don't get many opportunities when it comes to Selene," continued Xavier, "Once we're inside, we'll split up. Remy, Ororo, and Rahne will follow me to Selene's chambers. Our job will be to rescue the pawns. Deadpool and Danielle will follow Sage. Your task will be security. You'll have to work fast because we'll need all the help we can get in order to get to the others."

"Hey, you know me, Chucky boy! I get the job done fast and efficiently with the standard Deadpool guarantee! Please note guarantee does not apply to the bedroom or any sexual situations and other related tasks are subject to evaluation. If you wish to contest any matters relating to or pertaining…"

But before Deadpool could continue on his obnoxious disclaimer, Xavier cut him off.

"That'll be quite alright, Wade," he said in an annoyed tone, "I'll take your word for it."

"Fine, just giving the fine print. Don't tell me you all don't give disclaimers to the crazy shit you guys do! It's the American way!" he shrugged.

That earned him the look from the entire van. But he shrugged it off. If they didn't know by now that he had a few screws loose they were crazy themselves.

The planned seemed sound. They had a way in and a plan to get the pawns out. It was still a daunting task. They were going up against the Black Queen, a woman they knew first hand how dangerous she was. One slip up and it could all come crashing down.

"What about me, Charles? What do ye need me to do?" asked Moria.

Xavier then reached into his pocket and pulled out a special keycard he kept with him at all times. He then took Moria's hand and put the car in it. Then he looked at he held them firmly, looking at her with the trust and affection that had grown so strong over the years. It was the kind of look he always gave her before he told her something she didn't want to hear.

"Once we're in the tunnel, I need you to go in the other direction," he told her, "Follow the track to X-Industrial. It should lead you into a secure area in the basement. Once in that area, use this card to access a secure terminal to activate one of the Hellfire jets. We'll need it for our escape."

"But I thought ye said all of Hellfire's assets reverted to Selene when we were all officially declared dead? Doesn't that include X-Industrial?"

"It does. That is why this is dangerous. I'm not sure if Selene has uncovered any of the fail-safes I put into place. She may have her guards waiting for you on the other end. But you'll have to trust in the precautions I've taken."

It was an unsettling feeling, going into this all by herself without support from Charles or the others. She didn't have mutant powers so she couldn't hold her own as much. Her only defense was the trust she had in Charles and against Selene that would have to do.

"I trust ye, Charles. I always have," she told him, "But not come with me? Why not leave the fighting to those best equipped for it?"

Xavier's expression shifted to one of anger. He was usually very controlled about his emotions. But under circumstances like these, he wasn't afraid to let them show.

"I'm sorry, Moria, but I have to do this. Selene didn't just betray me. She betrayed the Hellfire Club. Everything I've worked for and everything I've built is at stake. I'll be the first to admit I was foolish to allow Selene's reign to continue this long, but we have a chance to stop her here once and for all! She must pay for her crimes against the Hellfire Club. And I'll see to it personally she suffers for this."

He spoke with the kind of grit and determination that made him such a good Black King. This wasn't just about taking back what was rightfully his. This was a personal vendetta between him and Selene. And Moria could tell from the look in his eyes that he was going to make this woman suffer. She wanted this too and for that reason she had to do her part.

"Just promise me one thing, Charles," she told him.

"Of course, anything," said Xavier.

"When you see her…shoot her in the face."

The Black King grinned.

"Consider it done," he told her.

"Alright!" said Deadpool in his typical over-the-top manner, "Let's do this! They're doing down! They're going down to Chinatown with a frown in a puddle of brown with a clown! They're gonna regret the day they came to play! They're gonna…"

"We get it, Deadpool! Stop trying to make a poem out of it!" groaned Rahne.

"Hey, just trying to get us fired up, that's all!" grinned the merc with a mouth.

"Save it for another time," said Ororo as she looked out into the dreary night, "I have a feeling we're going to need to conserve our energy. It's going to be a long night."

"It already has been," mused Danielle, "I hope we're not too late."

"Try not to be thinking about that, Dani," said Rahne strongly, "Just think about how you're going to make that bitch, Selene, pay for her crimes!"

"It's just like Remy's perè always said, 'good crimes can go unpunished, but bad criminals always fail in the end,'" said Remy as he pocketed a few extra deck of cards.

"Well said, Remy. Let's see to it that holds true for Selene," said Xavier as he gathered the rest of their things, "You all have your jobs. Let's get to the pawns and stop Selene. She'll regret the day she turned her back on the Hellfire Club."

The Black King then opened the glove box and took out a high powered plasma rifle. Even though he was the world's most powerful psychic, he would still need a weapon if he was to hold his own against Selene's forces. He also tossed one to Moria, who would need one just in case. Once they were armed and Sage closed her laptop, they gathered the rest of their things and exited the van.

The plan was officially in motion. As it stood Charles Xavier, Moria MacTaggart, Remy Lebeau, Ororo Munroe, Wade Wilson, Danielle Moonstar, Rahne Sinclair, and Sage were the only ones who could stop Selene. That woman had gone too far. She betrayed the Hellfire Club and was now probably torturing the other pawns. Her transgressions could not stand. She was going to pay for her crimes and it was going to start now.

* * *

**Selene's Torture Chamber **

It had been two hours of hell for the pawns of the Hellfire Club. In many ways it was worse than hell. Being in a room alone with Selene and her followers, whom she had corrupted beyond repair, made hell look like an escape. She wasn't torturing them for punishment, retribution, or power. She was just torturing them because she wanted to and she got a sick thrill out of making people suffer.

For Scott, Jean, Piotr, Rogue, Warpath, Pietro, Logan, Mystique, Bobby, Jubilee, Kitty, Sam, Lorna, Laura, and Julian it was one long blur of pain and suffering. For nearly two hours, Selene and her minions focused on rape. Over and over, she had the men rape the women and the woman rape the men. Most of it was done by her masked elite guards, some of which were male and some of which were female. They were like drones, ravaging and dominating them reckless abandon. The whole time their bodies were kept in a constant state of arousal. A powerful spell loomed over them, keeping their bodies going and holding their powers back. Another spell made it so whatever pleasure they would have felt was turned into pain. And given the potency of Selene's power, it was sheer agony.

When Selene's elite guards weren't raping and ravaging the pawns, her loyal minions were enjoying themselves. Wanda, Alex, Tabitha, Kurt, Warren, Betsy, Monet, and Roberto all took turns raping and tormenting different pawns. Alex focused much of his time on Scott, raping Jean repeatedly in front of him. But at times he also ordered some of the female guards to get rough with Scott. He also gave some other pawns his attention. He raped Kitty and Jubilee, two pawns who gained status faster than him and he made sure they remembered how he didn't take kindly to their success. Roberto was similar. He double teamed Kitty with Alex. He also ravaged Rogue for a while, who he always sort of resented for having strength greater than his.

Warren continued to ravage the other pawns with Betsy by his side. He showed many of his bondage and sadomasochistic tastes and shared them with Betsy. He tied up Rogue and gagged her while Betsy did the same to Scott. Then he started whipping her with a studded whip for a couple dozen rounds and then grabbed held her down and fucked her. Betsy did the same with Scott. They moved onto others such as Mystique and Pietro, getting rougher and more creative as they went along.

But Warren and Betsy weren't the only ones showing such tastes. Tabitha was also being creative in how she raped and tormented her victims. She would drop little energy bombs on their chests and watch them wince when they exploded. She did this to Julian, Pietro and Piotr. She even did this to some of the women such as Kitty, Jean, and Lorna. And each time she made the bursts more intense to cause more of a bruise. Not to be outdone, Monet showed off some of her own skills by using blindfolds and gags. Her tactic was to take a man, ravage them and use her telepathy to force other victims to rape each other. She had Bobby rape Laura and had Sam rape Rogue. She loved being in control and she relished in this power she never thought she could have.

Wanda showed a particular propensity for cruelty and had Kurt help her every step of the way. And like the obedient lover he was, he didn't say a word and did as she asked. She focused on certain pairs of pawns who she knew were close. She would torment the man while Kurt raped the woman, using her hex bolts to shock and cause more pain to the victims in a way that they shared it. She did this with Scott and Jean, Julian and Laura, and Kitty and Piotr. Each time she got them to cry out in pain together. It was especially satisfying, yet Kurt continued to show no emotion either way. But that was okay with her so long as he kept doing as she told him.

Going along with Wanda as well was her father, Magneto. Only he was still dazed by Selene's spell. So she used him with Kurt to double team the women. They each took turns raping them one way and then switched up when they took on someone else. They mindlessly obeyed her. Magneto's expression continued to show signs of struggle and strife, but a part of him clearly enjoyed the feeling. It was a sign that the darkness was starting to take hold of him as well.

Sabretooth was a different case. He didn't do anything fancy or elaborate. He just growled sadistically as he raped every woman he could. But he always made sure he took the time to focus on Logan. He spent quite a bit of time raping Mystique, given his history with her. He also took Laura for a few rounds while taunting him mercilessly. Once he was done with her he went over and got Jean and did the same. He also brought over Rogue, Kitty, and Jubilee. Every time he finished with one, he would give Logan a firm punch in the gut. It was an extra taunt in addition to raping the women he cared about. He loved every minute of it and laughed it up.

The only one who seemed to enjoy it more than Sabretooth was Selene. She was the loudest and most commanding voice in the room. She directed her minions and her elite guards to carry out more acts of deviance and torment. She also took the time to ravage each pawn, both male and female. She used them all to attain vast pleasures. And when it hit she made sure got the most pleasure while her victims got the most pain.

"YES! YES! YEEEEESSSSSSSSS! FEEL THE PAIN! FEEL THE WRATH OF DARKNESS AS YOU SUFFER!" she exclaimed with sadistic bliss.

The pained groans of each pawn echoed through the chamber. As hardened and tough as they were from their Hellfire training, even they had their limits. And they were getting painfully close.

After another thorough round of group rape, Selene and her minions took a break from it and switched things up a bit. While they got a breather, the pawns continued to suffer. Selene instructed her elite guards to chain them up again so they were hanging from the ceiling by their wrists. Then she passed out whips to her minions and guards and they all got behind and started whipping them with mercilessly. Alex whipped Scott, Wanda whipped Pietro, Tabitha whipped Sam, Kurt whipped Rogue, Warren whipped Jean, Betsy whipped Warpath, Monet whipped Julian, and Roberto whipped Kitty. Masked guards whipped Piotr, Bobby, Jubilee, Laura, Lorna, and Mystique. Sabretooth also got into the action, but he didn't use a whip. He just started beating up on Logan with his bear hands. These whips were not designed to leave marks. They still weren't sure if they wanted to enjoy them for one last round of rape, but it was still plenty painful for them.

"That's it, my minions! Whip them! Strike them! Make them feel more pain!" demanded Selene, who remained in the center admiring it all with the dazed Magneto standing by her.

These were the sickening sounds that echoed through the room as hard leather made contact with tender flesh.

"Augh! Ahh! Ahhhhhhhh!" Jean cried out, who was one of the few still struggling.

"Oh shut up already and take it!" grunted Warren as he whipped her again.

Jean's expression continued to contort in strange ways. Selene found it a bit odd, if not a little disconcerting. But she was enjoying this too much to care. The only one who wasn't getting whipped was Logan. And while she didn't like the change in pace, she didn't mind Sabretooth's approach either of just beating his enemy with his bear hands.

"Ha! How does THAT feel! How does it fucking feel!" howled Sabretooth each time he punched and slashed Logan's bruised and battered body.

"Ack! Augh!" grunted Logan, coughing up blood and choking on bile with each blow.

"What's that?! You want more, old buddy?! Ha! I could do this all night! You've had this comin' a LONG time! Now you suffer!"

"Fuck…you," panted Logan through the pain.

That only infuriated Sabretooth more as he continued to beat Logan with all his might. Without his healing factor, he was getting bruised and bloodied in ways that he had never been before. Sabretooth loved it, being able to hurt him in ways he couldn't recover from. It was exhilarating. It was fulfilling. It was the vengeance he always craved.

Logan was nearing the edge of his limits and so were the others. Selene sensed the pawns starting to break down. They were getting close to that fragile threshold where they wouldn't be able to hang on anymore. But before that she had other plans to further spice it up.

"Alex! Wanda! Give your whips to a guard and come here," she ordered.

"Is it that time already?" said Alex with a look of intent.

"Not quite. It's that other 'matter' we discussed," she said coyly.

Alex and Wanda grinned in anticipation. They then handed their whips to a nearby guard and let them continue whipping their victims. Then they walked over to Laura and Lorna, each of who were being whipped by guards. They waved the guards off and undid their chains. Their bodies then fell limply to the floor. Wanda then levitated them with her hexing powers and dragged them off towards the west end of the chamber where there was a single black door. They were too out of it to know what was going on, but some did notice.

"Laura…" said Julian as he looked over with concern.

"Shut up!" commanded Monet as she whipped him into submission, "She should be the least of your worries."

Julian's expression tensed as more pain followed. But he wasn't the only one who noticed. Logan, who was being held by the throat by Sabretooth, was able to see out of his unswollen eye what that they were dragging Laura off.

"Where…where are you pricks taking her?!" he demanded.

Sabretooth responded by slugging him in the face.

"No more talking unless you're begging for mercy!" growled Sabretooth as he continued his assault.

As Lorna and Laura were carried off, Lorna was still coherent enough to look back at her bound comrades. She focused on Pietro, who was still being whipped by a guard. There was a desperate plea in her eyes. It was as if she was telling him to save her. When he saw this he grit is teeth and grunted as he struggled even more. But he remained bound and powerless.

"Lorna…no," he grunted.

As Pietro, Logan, Julian and the others continued to suffer, Wanda and Alex followed Selene into the room. Behind them, Wanda floated the two limp bodies of Lorna and Laura inside. Once they were in they closed the door. The room was small and confined, containing only a couple of wooden tables that had restrains for wrists and legs. It was where Selene did torture with a more personal touch. But she had other things in mind for these two.

"Place them on the tables," Selene ordered.

Wanda did as she was told, floating Lorna and Laura onto the tables and laying them out. From there Selene and Alex secured the restraints on their wrists and ankles. Alex then hovered over Lorna, affectionately tracing his hand down her face while Selene and Wanda hovered over Laura. They were both still out of it. Their bodies were sweaty and worn out. Fluids from the rapes dripped off them in a sickening display. For a moment they were allowed to collect themselves, getting over the pain and discomfort over what just happened to them.

"Thank you for doing this, Mistress Selene," said Alex gratefully as he loomed over Lorna, "I wish we could have spared her the initial torment, I understand why it had to be done."

"Of course you do," grinned the Black Queen, "But I am not doing this out of the goodness of my heart. Believe me, I haven't done any of that in a long time. I'm doing this because I might just get some use out of these two with the next part of my plan."

Selene then turned to Wanda and nodded. Understanding what she was implying, Wanda walked over to an area behind the tables where an unmarked black box had been set up for just this moment. From that box, Wanda took out two objects. One was a small vile of glowing green fluid and the other was brilliant crystal array that resembled a pink rose. She gave the green vile to Selene and the pink rose to Alex.

For the two women, who were still reeling, it was a strange and confusing moment. They could still hear the pained cries of the others in the other room, but for some reason they were being spared. It didn't make any sense.

"What…what are you doing to us?" said Lorna weakly.

Selene stood between both tables and grinned.

"Consider yourselves lucky. Your torment is over for now. For the two of you, I have other plans," said the Black Queen, "You see, I'm not out to kill off the old order and take over the Hellfire Club. I have far greater plans than that. And the two of you are going to help me."

"Fat…chance," grunted Laura in defiance, "I'll never help you! I'd rather be tortured to death!"

"Who says you have a choice?" said Selene as she held up the vial, "You, little X-23, were created to be a tool, not a human being. I always found that side to you a little intriguing. So I made a few calls and found out how they were able to control you. I'm sure you remember that special trigger scent…you know, the one they used to make you kill your mother?"

Laura's expression tensed at the mention of that terrible memory. She hoped she had seen the last of that scent. It was responsible for so much of her pain. But when she saw the fluid in that vial she knew what it was.

"I had my people get the last sample of it. Then I had Sinister tweak it a bit. Now, with one little injection, I'll get what your creators failed to obtain. You're will, your humanity, and your emotions were be shut down. You'll have the mind of an obedient dog. And I'll see to it that I am your master!"

Wanda then handed her a syringe, which she had stashed in the box as well. When Laura saw this she went into a fury. She growled and roared in defiance, trying to fight off the paralysis. She managed to move her body a bit, but nowhere near enough to break free from her bonds. Before her mother died, she told her how she never wanted her to be somebody's weapon again. Now Selene was taking that from her, the last vestige of control she had.

Once the syringe was filled she held it up and loomed over Laura.

"You'll make a good pet," she taunted, "Your skills will prove useful in my plans. I may even give you the honor of executing some of your fellow pawns. Maybe I'll start with that boy you seem to like, Julian."

"Hrraahhhhhhhh!" she roared in a rage.

"Complain all you want. You belong to me now…X-23."

She then roughly jammed the syringe into her right arm and injected every last drop of the mixture. As soon as Laura felt it in her veins, her world began to fade. It was as if something was reaching inside her and shutting down all her higher functions. It was a cold, harsh feeling and she tried to fight it.

"Augh! Arugh! Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhh!" she cried out.

She continued growling and groaning, thrashing about on the table. But it was no use. Her resistance quickly waned. All her memories and perceptions began to fade. One by one, her world around her crumbled. Her will to resist, fight, and even think was being overrun. But before it all slipped away she saw one last image in her mind. It was an image of her mother and of Logan, the two people who helped her break free. And with them was Julian, the one person she managed to get close to. As soon as that image faded, there was nothing. The girl known as Laura was no more. All that was left was X-23.

"Undo her restraints," ordered Selene.

Wanda complied with the request and used her hex bolts to undo them. Laura remained still even after they were loose. The look on her face remained blank and emotionless, just as Selene had hoped. She then undid the paralysis spell so she could move again and removed the spell holding her powers back.

"Get up and stand before me," she ordered.

Laura did as she asked and got up off the table. In the process she noticed her healing factor going to work. The bruises and marks left from her torture started to fade. Soon they were all gone and she didn't have a scratch on her. She looked poised to be a loyal minion.

"Now bow to me," the Black Queen ordered.

Laura did as she said.

"I am now your master. You will do what I tell you. Understand?"

Former weapon X-23 nodded.

"Say it," Selene commanded, "Say I'm your master!"

"You're my master," said Laura in a mechanical tone, "I will do as you wish."

The Black Queen grinned in approval. It was just as she had hoped. She had a loyal, obedient pet for her to use as she pleased. She should prove useful in her coming plans. She might also give a nice little toy for her male minions to play with on their downtime.

With Laura now under her control, Selene turned towards Lorna. She saw what happened with Laura and was visibly disturbed. The whole time Alex had been protectively looming over her, caressing her face. Compared to the others she didn't have nearly as many bruises or scratches as the others. This was intentional for a number of reasons, many of which were important to Alex.

"That's one down. Now it's your turn, Lorna," said Selene.

"What…what are you going to do to me? And why?" she asked.

"Don't question it, Lorna," said Wanda harshly, "You're very lucky to avoid the fate that awaits the others. You can thank Alex here for that. He's the one that made the request. I just supported it."

Lorna looked up at Alex, who had a strange look of affection in his eyes. It was unusual considering how dark those eyes had been since this started. But it was definitely there.

"It's true, Lorna. I was the one that suggested we bring you in," he said softly, "I couldn't allow you to suffer such a cruel fate with the others."

"How…how can you say that?" she gasped with a grit of anger, "After what you and the others just did to me?!"

"I'm sorry, but that was not my decision. I didn't want that for you. But it doesn't matter now. All that matters is that you're here. You're here because I want to continue this with you by my side."

Alex then walked over and took her hand and held it in his, holding it with the affection he used to before Selene got to him.

"I'm sorry I never told you, but since I arrived here you've always been special to me," he said softly, "You understand what it's like to be distant with family and you understand what it's like to come up in an unjust world. Even after I embraced the darkness, my feelings for you remain. And I want us to be together."

They were words she always wished she would hear from Alex, but not like this. There was so much darkness in his eyes behind the affection. She almost cried at the conflict she now faced. She had feelings for this man as well, but now they had been corrupted by darkness.

"I'm sorry, Alex. But…I can't be with someone like you…someone who sold his soul to darkness!" said Lorna harshly.

But Alex was not phased.

"I understand," he said, "But no worries. We can still be together. We can still share love in a world of darkness."

He then held out the crystal rose. For a moment she gazed into it. Then Selene raised her hand and cast a spell. Suddenly, it started glowing in a bright, pinkish aura.

"I know you had feelings for me before," he told her, "We can bring those feelings out again. We can make it so nothing else in the world matters. All you'll be concerned with is our love. You'll do whatever it takes to preserve it."

"I…I'll be your slave," she lamented.

"No…not a slave," said Alex as he affectionately stroked her face, "A companion bound by the bonds of darkness. Look at it this way…the others will not live long enough to see a world consumed by darkness. But you and I will. And we'll share in it together."

"No…I won't!" she struggled.

"Yes you will," said Alex, "You say you don't, but I don't believe you. I believe you want this. And I'm just doing what's best for you."

"No…no!" she cried, struggling even more.

Alex then turned towards Wanda, who had been smiling the whole time. She had done this before, using love to gain control of someone. She did it with Kurt to make him her little minion of darkness. Alex saw this and he wanted it for him and Lorna. And for her half-sister, who she resented for taking on her roles with Pietro, she could think of no better punishment than to make her a slave to them for eternity.

"Sorry dear sister. But you heard the man. Your fate has been decided," said Wanda.

Holding up her hand, Wanda chanted the necessary phrases to cast the spell. Her hand then started glowing the same color as the rose crystal. The glow soon engulfed Alex and Lorna and Alex's eyes flashed ominously. Lorna could feel the power overtaking her. She didn't want to give into it, but she was weakened from the torture and unable to resist.

Guided by the power of the spell, Alex leaned in and kissed her passionately. As soon as his lips touched hers, it happened. The energy surged through her mind, twisting her perceptions and emotions. She groaned in discomfort at first. But soon it all came back to her. Only this time her every thought, feeling, and awareness was different. All her previous concerns were utterly forgotten. Her very capacity to think and reason was changed. All she could think about now was Alex and the love she had for him.

"Alex…" she said softly.

"Yes…I feel it," said Alex intently, "It worked!"

"Of course it worked," grinned Selene, "You know what to do."

Selene cast a spell of her own, removing the paralyzing spell and the one holding back her powers. She also undid the restraints binding her wrists to the table. But even though she was free, her concerns didn't change. She kept kissing Alex, driven by an insatiable surge of emotion. She was so lost in the feeling, distant and dazed. It was just as Alex had hoped.

Knowing what he had to do now, Alex got up on the table with her and laid down on top of her. With their lips still entwined, he started having sex with her. For a moment he just savored the feeling. Lorna let out a wave of gasps. This time it wasn't of pain or discomfort. With no more spell to torment her it was all pleasure. Her body was still a little sweaty and worn from all the activity she endured earlier, but she still felt so heavenly and Alex savored the feeling.

Together they worked it, making love in a fury of lust and bliss. The darkness within him still seethed and his hold on her was still a bit rough and dominating. But he remained passionate with her, making love to her with all the veracity and fortitude as he could. They were soon nearing a blissful climax, one that the spell helped amplify to new heights. Their moans intensified as the feeling washed over them. The pleasure was intense. It was almost as intense as the feeling Alex got when he tormented the prisoners. And as he looked down at Lorna, the dazed and distant look revealing the extent of the spell, he knew it was official.

"You're mine now, Lorna," he whispered to her, "We will share the darkness together!"

Selene and Wanda grinned at the sight. Wanda was especially satisfied to see her half sister now on their side. It would surely torment Pietro even more. But beyond the vindication she felt, it gave them another ally in their plan. Mistress Selene was poised to take the next step towards her ultimate goal. Soon nothing would be able to stop them.

"What now, my mistress?" asked Wanda, "Are we ready to move onto the next step?"

"Almost," said the Black Queen ominously, "I find myself getting board with the pawns now. We'll enjoy them for a little bit longer. Then we'll begin the real torture! They shall be the first to fully taste my wrath, but I assure you they won't be the last!"

**Hellfire Manor – Backyard**

Charles Xavier maneuvered carefully along the perimeter of the Manor. Following closely were Ororo, Remy, Deadpool, Rahne, Moria, and Danielle. They were on the outer limits of the Manor's surveillance system. Once they got in they would be vulnerable. So they had to proceed carefully. All around Hellfire Manor was a large, well defended gate. The front was the most imposing, but along the back were large stone walls that were wedged between two normal-looking skyscrapers. It was higher than in the front and specially rigged with cameras, sensors, and traps to discourage intruders. And like the front there were guards patrolling along the top and edge.

"Danielle, we'll need your illusions to fool the sensors," said Xavier, "Storm, we'll need a little extra cover from Mother Nature."

"You've got it," said Ororo as her eyes flashed white, "Everybody stand in close. I'm going to get fly us in."

"Try not to make it too rough," reminded Danielle, "I need to stay focused to keep my illusions up."

"Don't worry, I'll be careful," she assured her.

Danielle cast her illusions while Ororo manipulated the weather around her. She rose into the air on a wave of wind while manipulating the air streams around her to form a dense fog that she directed over the area. Once it was in place she formed another vortex of wind to levitate the others. They all bunched in closely and stayed steady while Ororo lifted them up into the air and over the stone wall.

It was like being lifted up into the middle of a cloud. They could barely see anything, but they could make out the faint outline of the back yard and the guards. From the looks of it no sensors had gone off. They were all still struggling to keep organized in the fog and they heard them trying to coordinate over pocket communicators. While they were distracted, Xavier and Sage scanned the area for the fountain that concealed the entrance to the train. Once they got closer to the ground they were able to locate it.

"There it is," said Sage, pointing towards the fountain.

"I see it," said Ororo, "Hold on, I'm taking us down."

"Just keep that fog up," said Danielle, who was concentrating hard, "I'm having a hard enough time fooling the sensors. I don't think I can create more illusions for the guards at this point."

Ororo nodded and kept the shroud of fog going until they reached the fountain. Once they were on the ground, they carefully made their way to the fountain while staying close. They all kept a close eye on the nearby guards, making sure they didn't see them through the fog or trip any alarms.

"Man, I feel like Batman," commented Deadpool, "Hey Storm, any chance you could dress up as Catwoman?"

"Quiet, Deadpool!" growled Rahne, "Save the obnoxious comments for Selene!"

"Just keeping my skills fresh," grinned the merc with a mouth.

Xavier scanned the base of the fountain with Remy and Moria, looking for the mechanism that would open the secret shaft. He knew Shaw had to have put some inconspicuous button somewhere. He was too practical to make it something obvious like a lever or a limb on a statue. It was always something out of sight that nobody would suspect.

"What exactly is we lookin' for again?" asked Remy as he felt along the base.

"Anything that looks like some sort of triggering mechanism," answered Xavier, "I wish I knew what it was, but I killed the only man who knew."

"Dang, what are the odds?" laughed Remy.

With nothing else to go on they kept feeling around, looking for anything that might look suspicious. Then Moria came across something. One of the marble stones she touched didn't feel the same as the others. Curious, she looked closer and started feeling around it. It didn't seem to fit. And when something didn't fit that usually meant it wasn't what it seemed. So she pushed on it. That's when they all heard a strange mechanical clank from inside the fountain.

"Here, I think I found it!" she said.

They all stood back and watched as a section of the grass just below the block was revealed to be hollow. They watched as a narrow sliding door opened up horizontally, revealing a dark and narrow hole with a ladder running along the side.

"Good work, Moria," said Xavier, "This must be it. Ororo, keep the fog up for a few minutes longer. Danielle, cover us until the door closes."

"No problem, just don't do anything to disrupt my concentration," said Danielle in a focused tone.

"So playing 80s rock with my armpits is out?" asked Deadpool.

"Yes, that would qualify," said Ororo, "Just keep moving."

"Oui, my lady. Can't say no to a girl in skin tight outfits!"

Ignoring Deadpool's quips, Xavier slipped into the hole and climbed down the ladder. Moria, Rahne, Remy, and Deadpool followed close by. Then Storm climbed in, keeping her fog going so the guards wouldn't see them. Danielle went last, making sure her advanced illusions kept the sensors and cameras at bay. Once everybody was in the manhole, Danielle closed it and they all climbed down.

The shaft was pretty deep, much deeper than a usual sewer opening. Shaw must have been extra paranoid about someone finding it. It was dark too. Remy had to take out a card and charge it so they would have some light. It was dark, dingy, and a little cramped. For Ororo, that was pretty distressing because of her claustrophobia. But she couldn't afford to let that stop her now. She just kept her eyes closed and breathed deep.

"You okay, cherè?" asked Remy, noticing her disposition.

"I'm fine," she said anxiously, "Let's just get through this place as soon as possible."

"Just breathe deep," he told her in a reassuring tone, "We're almost there."

His words helped calm her down as they continued to climb down. They descended about sixty feet or so until they reached the floor below. It was still very dark and it was hard to see where they were. Rahne, whose canine mutation gave her better senses, started searching for a light switch.

"Ooh, dark in here. I feel like that psycho in the hockey mask from that movie. Ever see that flick?" said Deadpool.

"Hold on, I think I see a light switch," said Rahne as she felt around the wall.

She grabbed hold of a heavy lever of sorts and tried to pull it. It was a little rusted so it didn't go easy. But with a few labored grunts, she managed to activate it. Once it was down an array of old fluorescent lights turned on up ahead, revealing a wider tunnel with train tracks and a long trail running in both directions with darkness at each end. It was obvious this area hadn't been maintained in at least five years. Many of the lights were flickering and some of the track looked rusted. But that wasn't necessarily a bad thing. It just meant nobody else knew about it.

"Wow…" Moria commented, "Shaw was a bastard, but the man knew how to make an escape."

"Indeed," said Xavier, "Sage, can you detect any sensors in here?"

Sage activated her watch, which had a built in computer that had some small programs she set up for situations like this. She did a brief scan to look for any signs of surveillance.

"No, it's clean," she said.

"Good, then where do we go from here?" asked Ororo.

Sage took out a small piece of paper that she printed out that had on it a layout of the secret tunnel.

"Based on the schematics, this tunnel beings at the bottom of an elevator shaft that's connected to Shaw's old room, which would be your room now, Charles."

"I'm sure Selene will leave that area heavily guarded," said the Black King, "She's too paranoid not too."

"Well the elevator doesn't lead to anywhere else," said Sage, "There are no other openings."

"Then we'll just have to make one," said Remy, holding out a charged card, "Where can we get if we blow it open?"

Sage looked at the plans harder, her computerized mind going through each scenario before she reached a logical conclusion.

"Based on where Shaw had this thing installed, blowing a hole in the south side would give us an opening to the third sub-level on the east wing. That's not far from Selene's chamber and I should be able to get to the primary hub on the second sub-level from there as well."

"Great, then what are we waiting for? Let's start blowing things up!" proclaimed Deadpool, "You want grenades, napalm, or C4? Or how about all three?"

"It's not that simple, Deadpool," said Sage in a serious tone, "An explosion of any kind may draw attention. As soon as we're in the clock will start. Selene may not notice, but the guards will and they'll be on us."

"Then we'll just have to act faster," said Xavier, holding his weapon firmly.

"So we're risking it?" said Sage, "With a little time I might be able to scramble the alarms."

"Time is a luxury we cannot afford right now. Selene could begin executing the pawns at any minute. We'll have to risk it."

"Can't beat the house without takin' a chance," commented Remy.

"Exactly," said Xavier as he activated his weapon.

The Black King then turned to Moria, who had her weapon drawn as well. She remained as stern and hardened as everybody else, even without mutant powers. But for a battle like this she knew she couldn't participate. She had to leave it to those who could fight and hold their ground better against Selene's brutal forces.

"This is where we'll have to part, my dear," said Xavier.

"I know," Moria said in a touch of disappointment, "I'll get us our escape. Just be careful, Charles. I want to make Selene pay as much as you, but I don't want ye to get caught up in a fight ye can't win."

"I know my limits, my dear. I will not let them stop me from doing what I have to do," said the Black King strongly, "You know me better than anybody. I never fight a battle I know I can't win."

"You say that, but ye also know Selene will bait ye," said Moria, "She fell for our trap. Don't fall into hers."

"I won't. I promise."

To reinforce his point, he pulled Moria into a kiss. In dire circumstances such as these, it was a lot deeper and a lot more meaningful than usual. They had every intention of seeing each other again, but they knew full well that with Selene nothing was ever certain. Charles and Moria spent many years building this organization together. They had come together, drifted apart, only to come together again. Many conflicting forces came between them, but that was no longer a concern for them. They needed support from one another now more than ever. It was one of their greatest weapons in the fight against Selene.

"Aww," cooed Deadpool, "You guys are gonna make me cry."

"And they say you have no sensitive side," chided Ororo.

"What can I say? I'm a romantic?" he said in an overly dramatic tone, "That reminds me, are you and Remy going to suck face before this goes down too? We all know it's coming and you might not have another chance."

Ororo and Remy exchanged awkward glances. They weren't sure if Deadpool was just being completely obnoxious like he always was or if he was being serious. But seeing Charles and Moria did remind them of just how many things between them had been left unsaid. Ever since they did those jobs for Sinisters and got caught up in this scheme, they never got a chance to sit down and talk about it. There was a lot they wanted to say, but with time a factor here they get their chance.

"We discuss it later?" Remy suggested.

"Yes…later," said Ororo, "Let's just focus on the challenge at hand."

Once Xavier and Moria parted, they went their separate ways. Before she left she gave Rahne a hug as well.

"Be careful, lass. And be sure to claw Selene's eyes out when ye see her," she told her.

"I will mom," she said with an affectionate grin.

Rahne followed the others, her focus now solely on the task at hand. Before they got too far Xavier looked back and cast Moria one last meaningful look, letting her know he would see her again and he would make Selene pay. She nodded in understanding and turned to begin the long trek to X-Industrial. They both had jobs to do. Everything up to this point was about planning. Now it was about action.

Following the track, Xavier led Remy, Ororo, Rahne, Deadpool, Sage, and Danielle towards the manor. The track was eerily quiet, like the calm before a storm. There was nothing ahead but rust, rats, and more tunnel. But they could already see the train at the end and the entrance that led to the elevator shaft. It wouldn't be long now before they were face to face with Selene's forces. They just had to hope they caught her off guard.

"I hope the others can hang on," mused Danielle.

"They will," said Xavier, "I trained them to be strong. They are not like Selene's other victims. They will resist her."

"But ye know as well as I do that there's no one she can't break," said Rahne.

"That's why we have to act fast," said the Black King, "The sooner we save them the sooner we'll have their power behind us. We can only take solace in the knowledge that because of Selene's torture, they'll be even more determined to make her suffer."

"Just like my grandpappy always told me," smirked Deadpool, "A little anger goes a long way. But flat out hatred will go even further!"

"Your granddad really say that?" laughed Remy.

"Nah, I heard it on Springer. But you gotta admit it sure sounds cool!"

Remy and the others rolled their eyes as they followed Xavier up past the train and towards the entrance. From the looks of it the train was in utter disrepair. It probably wouldn't even work now since it had been sitting here for years untouched. The elevator door looked pretty worn too. The edges were rusted and the paint had was chipping. There was no button either so they couldn't activate it. Shaw probably made it so it could only be moved by controls at the top. But they didn't need the elevator to get where they needed to go.

Using his bow staff, Remy jammed the end into the elevator and roughly pried it open. It was fairly reinforced so it took some effort. But once it was open they were led into a spacious, but dark elevator shaft.

"Okay, which wall do we blow up?" asked the Cajun.

Sage consulted the schematic again. After a brief round of calculation she turned to the wall to the right of the opening.

"This one," she told him, "It's probably pretty thick so you're going to need a good charge."

"No prob," said Remy confidently, "Ya'll might want to step back though."

"And miss the fireworks? Hell no!" said Deadpool.

"Easy Wade, ye best save the healing for Selene. You'll probably need it more then," commented Rahne.

The others stepped back as Remy prepared to charge the wall. But before he did, Xavier stepped forth to give them one final message.

"Wait Remy. I need to tell you all one last thing before we begin," he said, getting their attention, "Once that wall is down and we're inside, the clock starts. We will have to get to the pawns, disrupt Selene, and take her down by any means necessary."

His expression was stern and determined, just as they would expect for a situation like this. Then he shifted someone, becoming more serious and reasonable like he usually did when he conducted business.

"And I know all of you are not doing this because it's right. You're doing this because Selene has betrayed us. And we will make her pay for her crimes. But after this is over, I want you all to know that your assistance in this matter will not go unrewarded. You have my word."

Remy, Ororo, Sage, Rahne, Deadpool, and Danielle all nodded and grinned. Charles Xavier was a complicated man, but at his core he was still a man of business and principle. When he made a promise to those who served him he kept it. And once Selene was out of the way the possibilities for them would be endless.

"You've paid us all a king's ransom for our service and loyalty all these years, Charles," said Ororo, "A promise from you is all we need."

"Well said, cherè," grinned Remy, "We got your back, Xavier."

"Hell yeah! You're the best employer I ever had!" said Deadpool, "You pay your bills on time and you always give us fun mission! Without you I would have to go back to pimping fat chicks!"

"Yes, we all owe you greatly, sir," said Danielle, "You placed your trust in us. The least we can do is return the favor."

"Consider taking Selene down a down payment," said Sage.

"Thank you," he said with a smile, "I knew I could count on you."

With a new determination, Xavier and his forces were poised to strike Selene. That woman had caused enough chaos in their organization for too long. Someone like her, an agent of chaos, deviance, and destruction, could not be allowed to reign freely with the power of the Inner Circle. She would face the justice of the Hellfire Club. She would suffer every bit as much as she deserved. Xavier himself would see to it.

Everybody stepped back to allow Remy to charge the wall. Once he did they all covered their ears and waited for the explosion. When it went off, a deafening bang echoed through the tunnels. Rock, soil, and cement cracked as the thick walls gave way. It signaled the beginning of their assault. Once they saw the opening they all rushed through, crawling into the jagged opening and coming out on the other side. Just as they hoped, they emerged in an empty room. It was a boiler room that controlled some of the utilities of the building. And near as they could tell the alarms hadn't gone off yet. But their intrusion would no doubt be sensed.

"Time to move!" ordered Xavier.

It was official. The counterattack against Selene had begun. Xavier, Remy, Ororo, and Rahne split off while Sage, Deadpool, and Danielle went their own way. It was sure to be an arduous battle. Hopefully the pawns could hang on just a little bit longer.

**Sinister's Lab**

Hours had passed and Hank McCoy had obeyed Sinister's orders so far. He stayed in the lab, barely getting up from his seat at his desk. He tried to occupy himself by reading over old test data or looking over some of his side-experiments. Usually, it always helped pass the time. But for the first time in recent memory, his love of science wasn't enough to keep him occupied.

There were just too many distractions. He couldn't stop wondering just what it was Sinister was planning. He knew he had been scheming for quite a while now. From day one, he made no secret of his desire to work beyond the limits Charles Xavier imposed on him. And he knew Sinister better than anybody. Whatever he was planning was big and he would not reveal the details until everything had come together. He promised that all this work they had been doing was about to bear fruit. But as much as he wanted to see his work come together, there was one other matter that wouldn't stop hounding him. It was Rahne.

Hank assumed Sinister would do something to break away from Xavier and his organization. It seemed the only way for him to truly have free reign. And that never used to bother him. But now it mattered because if he moved against Xavier, then it meant Rahne could get caught in the crossfire. He could care less what happened to Xavier, but not her. Not Rahne.

Ever since she first arrived, struggling to manage what her powers were turning her into, he connected with her. She was the first person he ever came across that he could truly relate to. She wasn't like Sinister who merely understood him. She both understood and reached out to him with a level of affection and closeness that Sinister was incapable of. And as hardened as Sinister had made him over the years, he could not escape these feelings. They affected him more than he ever could have imagined and the thought of her getting hurt as a result of him was too much to bear.

"I can't take this ambiguous musing any longer," he mused out loud, "I…I have to at least see if she's okay."

Sinister probably wouldn't approve, but he couldn't condemn him if he stayed in the lab. Hank made his way over to his computer console and activated a couple of programs he made himself. They were programs that fed into the security system at Hellfire Manor. He used to use it early on to spy on the women as they showered or engaged in sex rituals in the chambers. Recently he had just been using it to keep up with Rahne and see what she was up to. He made sure nobody knew what he was doing. He installed the program within the network itself so it wouldn't view him as a breach. As far as the systems were concerned, he was just another monitoring sentry in the main program.

But as he brought the video feed from the security systems up, he noticed that something was off. All of Hellfire Manor was on high alert. There was none of the usual activity. Nearly every room was empty and every hall was being patrolled by strange looking guards who had black masks instead of the usual white masks. They were all heavily armed, looking as though they were preparing for an attack. He immediately began to worry.

'_What is this? Was there an attack of sorts? Has Sinister already made his move?'_

He kept sifting through the feeds. He eventually came upon one looking outside Selene's torture chamber. There Emma Frost was still sitting with her back against the door. She looked distressed. She was also covering her ears as if she was trying to shut something out. He assumed it was coming from the chamber, but there were no cameras in the chambers for obvious reasons. That strange Selene woman always liked to work behind closed doors. But only made him more worried. Could Rahne be behind those doors suffering?

"What are they up to?" he mused.

It was then he picked up a small blip in the program. It appeared a low level alarm had been tripped. And it was coming from within the manor. He wasn't sure if the guards picked up on it yet so he investigated. He brought up a few feeds and wound them back a bit. That's when he saw it.

"By stars and garners…" he said in a daze.

On the screen before him, the image of a wall being blown in played over. It caused some interference with the camera at first, but as soon as it cleared he saw a number of figures emerge. One was Charles Xavier himself, which came as quite a shock because there were only so many reasons for him to enter his manor in such a way. He also had reinforcements. He saw that Sage women he often worked with and those three thieves Sinister had worked with: Remy, Ororo, and Deadpool. There was also that young Native American girl he remembered from when he did her cosmetic surgery. But the one that stood out most was the one right next to her. It was Rahne and she was in full battle gear looking like she was ready to fight.

"It must be some kind of insurrection!" he surmised.

Hank began pouring over other video feeds. He saw that he wasn't the only one who noticed this. A number of guards in the lower levels were beginning to investigate. They all had their weapons primed and ready for combat. And there was little doubt they were programmed to kill.

Hank got a sick feeling in the pit of his stomach. Those guards were heading right for Rahne's position. He could only imagine what led them to this, having to break in through a wall. But his reasoning told him it couldn't be good. The more he looked at Rahne the more worried he grew. She was about to walk into a fight he helped make possible and there was nothing he could do about it. He didn't know how or why, but he knew he was partially responsible because he didn't say anything to her out of his loyalty to Sinister.

His fists clenched as he thought back to what Rahne told him just before she left. Her words echoed strongly in her mind. For everything he had done and all the conditioning Sinister had put him through, she still reached what little humanity he had left. That humanity could not stand to see Rahne get hurt in this fight. He could care less about the others, but not Rahne. He couldn't just sit here and watch her go through this. Even his loyalty to Sinister could not keep him here.

"Rahne…" he said, placing his hand over the screen.

Growling in determination, Hank slammed his fists on the terminal and short circuited the system. He let out an angry growl, brimming with animal rage. For once his instinct and reason were in agreement. Staying here and obeying Sinister was not possible, nor was it logical. He had to do something.

"I have to help her!" he growled, "But how?! I can't fight! I'm not even that strong! I need…"

Then he saw something out of the corner of his eye. It was a container of the goblin gas that he and Sinsiter had been using in their experiments. Then an outlandish yet logical idea came to mind. If he wasn't strong enough on is own to help Rahne, then he would need something to make himself stronger. Having seen the effects of this gas first hand, he knew what it could do to him. It could give him the strength and power he needed. But at the same time it could drive him mad just as it had done for Norman Osborn.

"Of course," he said as he walked over and picked up container of the glass, "If I cannot fight back on my own I'll need an edge. But the psychological side-effects of such a concentrated dose could be damning…and permanent."

For a moment he debated with himself. He could either try and go at it under his current strength and possibly get killed before he could even find her or use this to make himself more powerful and risk insanity. It was a cruel dilemma. To help Rahne he may have to sacrifice his sanity. But the more he thought about it the more he thought back to the closeness he felt with her. She was the first person he got close to and the first person who made him feel both human and animal. Such a feeling for someone as special as her was worth the price of his sanity. He owed it to her and to himself.

"Forgive me, Sinister," he said a she clutched the container firmly, "But I cannot obey you this time. I must do what I must…for Rahne."

Closing his eyes and gritting his teeth, Hank gripped the container and slammed it down against the floor of his lab as hard as he could. The sharp shattering sound of glass and metal echoed through the room as the gas escaped. It soon found its way to Hank where it quickly entered his system. When he felt it everything started to change.

"Ack!" he choked, "Auuuuggggghhhhhhh!"

As the gas coursed through him he felt their effects. His muscles bulged, his teeth sharpened, and his fur shifted to a much darker shade of blue. His entire stature grew until he was nearly a foot taller than he had been before. As he grew he burst out of his lab coat and most of his clothes. Soon he was only in his pair of extra elastic briefs. His roars and grunts become more feral than before, more wrought with animal rage and power. He started stumbling all over the lab, knocking over equipment and smashing computers.

Through this pain Hank also felt his mind start to warp. The once logical and coherent mind that had been so brilliant was twisted beyond recognition. Madness, pure insanity, seeped into his intelligence. He didn't just feel a new rage. He felt a new determination as well. His old perceptions and personality were broken down in an instant and thrown back together in chaos. When it was finally over Hank McCoy, the man the pawns called Beast, was no more. Now there was a new beast…a Dark Beast.

"Hrraahhhhhhhhhhhhhh!" he roared as he stormed out of the lab, "Rahne…I'm coming, my dear! I'm coming for you!"

* * *

**Up next: Selene and Xavier clash as the pawns attempt a daring escape.**


	12. Chaos Control

**New Blood  
Chapter 12: Chaos Control**

**AN: You know the drill. If you like it, please review. That's all I really can say at this point. Enjoy it while it lasts because the end is coming.  
**

* * *

**Outside Selene's Chamber**

Emma Frost couldn't take it anymore. She thought she could brush off this guilt like she had many times before. But it was no use. She couldn't escape it this time. She was responsible for what was happening. She was responsible for the pained groans echoing from inside the chambers. They didn't just belong to Scott and Jean. They belonged to everybody. They weren't her friends, but they were still her Hellfire brethren. She may not have liked or treated them well, but she did respect them. And now they were being tortured because of her.

What bothered her most was the reminder that she was helping Selene. She was aiding her in whatever sick plan she had and she was doing nothing to stop it. Then again how could she? Xavier was gone and so were Sage and Moria. There was nobody left. She knew she couldn't oppose that woman. She was too powerful. But she had to do something. Just sitting her doing nothing was driving her crazy.

'_Errrrrr stop it already! I can't take this anymore! I hate guilt! I hate Selene! I hate this! I fucking hate it! What am I supposed to do now? Serve Selene? To hell with that! I'd rather die! But how do I fight her? How can I ever hope to…'_

Suddenly she paused. Her train of thought halted as she picked up something with her telepathy. At first she figured it was just some stray thought, but when she processed it further she felt something else. It was a presence and a familiar one at that. It was a bit scrambled and weak, probably because of the shielding Selene put in place, but because of her advanced skills she was able pick it up. It was close. It was really close actually. It was as if it was coming from inside the building. But that was impossible since Selene locked everything down.

"Can it be? Or am I just going crazy?" she said to herself.

Emma closed her eyes and concentrated harder. Then she sensed the presence clearer. It was exactly who she thought it was. It was the man she thought she had lost. It was none other than the Black King himself, Charles Xavier.

'_Charles…he's alive!'_

Suddenly, everything changed. The rules were different now. She was no longer helpless or powerless against Selene. If Charles was here then they all stood a chance against Selene. But it still left her with a difficult choice.

If she turned on Selene now, there was little doubt they would shoot to the top of her list for people she reserves the worst torture for. And if she went back to Xavier, he would no doubt be upset with her once he found out what she did. Either way she was going to face consequences. But when it came to helping Selene or helping Xavier, the choice was clear. She betrayed Charles once. She wasn't going to pass on her chance to make amends.

'_I'm through listening to these screams! Selene, you sadistic bitch, you don't deserve to have it this easy! You deserve to be thrown into the darkest pits of Hell! I don't care what I have to sacrifice or what price I have to pay, I won't let you succeed!' _

With renewed determination and anger, Emma stormed off down the narrow halls of the lower levels. As she got to the end she ran into two of her masked guards, who were heavily armed and very menacing. And when they saw her coming they tried to stop her.

"Sorry lady, nobody leaves this area until Mistress Selene says so," said one of the guards in a deep, mechanical tone.

Not in the mood for small talk, Emma shifted into her diamond form and promptly slugged both men in the face with a powerful punch. Her diamond hard fists knocked them out cold and broke most of their facial muscles. They didn't even have a chance to fight back.

"Out of my way!" she said as she stormed past them, "I'm through being Selene's tool! If and when you thugs up, tell her she's next!"

* * *

**Hellfire Manor – Second Sub-Levels **

Getting to the main network hub was just as difficult as they all expected. It was ironic in a ways because Sage actually helped design some of these security measures that were meant to keep any and all intruders out. Now she had to break into it to stop Selene. And to make it even more difficult, she deployed roving guards everywhere. Selene was twisted woman, but she was nothing if not prepared.

Near the staircase leading into the second level, two guards stood watch. They scanned the area thoroughly to make sure all was quiet for their mistress. The night started off quiet enough, but they had since received word of minor alarm somewhere in the basement. Numerous masked guards were already moving fast to investigate. They couldn't allow anything to interrupt their Mistress no matter how small a matter it may be. Several guards passed by, entering the staircase and swiftly making their way down to the third level. Others remained on patrol, guarding the halls more carefully. If there were any intruders, they had to be ready to take them down.

Then the two guards heard an unexpected knock on the door. Assuming it was one of their comrades checking in, they opened it. But they were in for a rude surprising.

"Ding! This my floor!" proclaimed Deadpool as he swiftly plunged both Katanas into the hearts of the guards.

The two imposing figures didn't have time to react. They let out a muffle cough as their bodies fell to the floor where Sage and Danielle dragged them off.

"Damn it, Wade, could you at least try to be a little quieter?!" exclaimed Sage, trying hard not to shout too loud.

"Sorry babe, but you know that ain't my style. Wherever I go to work I gotta leave my mark!"

"Well leave it when we're NOT trying to be stealthy!" said Sage.

"Yes, I'm having a hard enough time making illusions for all these guards," said Danielle, who was still concentrating to keep them concealed, "I won't be able to keep this up forever."

"Ah relax, kid! You're doing great!" said Deadpool, "Couple more stunts like that and you and me are going to be REAL pals!"

Danielle groaned at the notion, but remained focused as she followed Sage and Deadpool into the hall.

She kept the illusion going as they carefully made their way down the next two wings. There weren't as many guards as they anticipated. They were probably off investigating the sensors they set off when they first entered. There were still plenty pacing about, ready to take anyone down at a moments notice. Their best defense against them and the nearly omnipresent sensors were Danielle's illusions. They allowed them to sneak past the each guard and have them think they were flies. Deadpool was tempted to take them down with a quick stab or shot, but Sage held him back.

"No Wade! Not now!" she whispered strongly as she watched him point a gun to an oblivious guards' head.

"Oh pretty please? Just let me shoot one! They all look so innocent and vulnerable standing here thinking we're flies or something!" said Deadpool as if here were a ten-year-old begging for a toy.

"NO! You can kill all the guards you want once I shut down security and give us some space to work with?"

"Fine," he pouted, "Promise?"

"Yes," she said begrudgingly.

"Pinkie swear?"

"Deadpool!"

"Okay! Okay! I'll be a good boy! Just trying to lighten the mood, that's all."

As hard as it was to focus with Deadpool making comments like that, Danielle found it hard not to laugh. She couldn't turn her emotions off like Sage. She managed to keep it together though, casting more illusions as she and Deadpool followed Sage to the main hub.

They passed through two more wings before they reached the first barrier. The entrance was down a narrow one-way hall with cameras lining the ceilings, laser sensors lining the walls, and two armed guards watching the door. It was just the first of many measures, but it was still a challenge to get past. After waiting for a few passing guards to rush by, Sage led Danielle and Deadpool towards the corner just outside the straight-away. She peered around, hoping Danielle's illusions would hold up.

"We need to do something about those guards," she said.

"Can I shoot them?" asked Deadpool.

"No, we need them to head this way because they'll turn off the laser sensors in the process. They're fitted with an automatic encrypted sensor that shuts the lasers off only for them."

"How do you know they're wearing it?" asked Danielle.

"Because I designed them," she said, "We need to make them walk towards us. And I don't think I can reach them with my telepathy. They must have psionic shielding in their masks."

The trio was silent for a moment as they considered their options. They didn't have a lot of time. Guards were probably bearing down on Xavier and the others already. They had to get that security system down to help them. It was then Danielle got an idea.

"Stand back, I think I know how to get them to come here," she said with a mischievous grin.

With no ideas themselves, Sage and Deadpool took her word for it and let her work. They watched as she peered behind the corner and stared the guards down. She then refocused her powers and created a new illusion for them.

To the guards, they didn't see anything at first. The hallway was as clear as ever. Only the foolish would dare try to enter. Then suddenly, they saw a strange figure walk by. But it wasn't just any figure. It was the distinct, imposing figure of Selene. But what made it truly bizarre was the fact that she was completely naked. She never wore much to begin with, but the guards still got an eyeful. And when they saw her their stern poise faltered.

"M-M-Mistress Selene?" said one of the guards.

"You studs have been working so hard. You deserve a little reward. Come here and I'll show you the kind of pleasure an immortal sorceress is capable of giving."

Her voice was thick with dominating lust and burning sensuality. It seemed a little off, but it still captivated the guards. Without thinking they dropped their weapons and made their way down the hall towards the naked woman. In the process they deactivated the laser grid because of the special security units they had strapped to their belts. As they got closer they walked faster, watching as she beckoned them with an alluring gesture. When they finally reached her they just stood there and eyed her naked body in a daze. Then what happened next was equally unexpected.

"Surprise!" they heard her say.

Only it wasn't Selene's voice. It was Deadpool's. As soon as they were close enough, he lunged forth and stabbed them both with his katanas. He made sure they didn't make a noise by stabbing them through the throats. They fell dead before they could even react, but he made sure they fell back so the laser grid stayed inactive. It was a novel way to get through security, but it worked.

"Damn kid, you got a dirty mind! I like it!" proclaimed Deadpool.

"What? You think I haven't picked up a thing or two in my time here?" said Danielle.

"You've learned well. Charles would be proud," said Sage in approval as she and Deadpool picked up the bodies and dragged them down the hall.

Danielle smiled back. Just because she was the youngest and least experienced didn't mean she couldn't be tough. James Poundstar taught her a lot about being strong. This was her biggest test thus far and she was already making an impact.

Once the guards were out of the way, Sage went to work on the locks. She couldn't access them with her normal key codes and retinal scanners. Once Selene put the manor on high alert, she by default locked down the network hubs. That means nobody could get in, even with the proper codes and identification. But as always, she programmed a fail-safe that only she could access.

"Deadpool, I need you to pry this panel off with your katana," she said.

"Aye aye captain! Just slap a grease stain on my shirt and call me a mechanic!"

Ignoring his comment, she watched as Deadpool jammed his katana into the narrow side of the panel. Then by using it as a wedge, he pried it open to reveal the intricate wires and circuit boards that made up the brain of the system. Once it was open, Sage took out a small black chip and started sifting through the boards. She undid a series of wires and changed their outlets. Then she found an open slot and inserted the chip. Once the adjustments were made she put the panel back and punched in a specific seven digit key-code. Then she saw a message appear on the small screen.

"Master Override Accepted."

The heavy duty locks to the door opened and they had access. Sage then led them inside where there were no guards, only cameras and laser sensors. There were also a number of booby traps such as electrified floors and laser guns that were meant to take out anybody who even tried to get in closer. But she was prepared for that too.

"Don't take another step," she warned them, "The floors are electrified and there are enough high powered turrets and pulse weapons to stop the Hulk."

"Damn, wish I had something like that to guard my porno stash," commented Deadpool.

"So how do we get through?" asked Danielle, "Can my illusions work here?"

"Not with these sensors," said Sage, "But don't worry. I can get us in."

Sage then felt around the wall just next to the electrified floor. She leaned in close and put her ear to the wall and while listening carefully, she tapped her finger on it in a specific sequence. And while Danielle and Deadpool probably didn't know, she was tapping a sequence of binary digits that activated another one of her fail safes that she installed when Xavier began preparing this backup plan. Once the code was entered an area of the wall opened up to reveal a small panel. On that panel was a slot for a key and a fingerprint scanner. Sage reached into her shoe and pulled out a small two-pronged key device. She inserted this device into the lock and put her index finger over the scanner. Once it was scanned a small light turned green. They then heard the distinct sound of all the sensors and deadly defense mechanisms shutting down.

"Wow, I gotta hand it to you Sage. You leave no loose ends," said Danielle.

"Don't congratulate me yet," she said, "I still have to hack into this thing and hit the security. Just hope I can do it before the guards overwhelm Xavier and the others."

Danielle and Deadpool followed Sage past several more security doors, each of which she was able to open with a simple override code. Once they were past the final barrier they entered a large but cramped room full of advanced computer servers and terminals. They all had red lights blaring on them, indicating they were locked down just as Selene wanted them. But they knew Sage wasn't going to let that stop her. They watched as she sat down at the main terminal and took out a small flash drive. She then took a deep breath and inserted it and prepared to go to work.

* * *

**Hellfire Manor – Third Sub-Level**

Xavier's sudden entrance into the boiler room didn't go unnoticed for long. As soon as he, Ororo, Remy, and Rahne split up from Sage's group they immediately found themselves targets of the guards. They swarmed down from the other sub-levels, cutting off all elevators and stairwells and barricading any major halls to keep them from advancing. They were also wearing telepathic safeguards so Xavier couldn't use his telepathy to stop them. This was going to take a more direct approach.

After slipping out of the boiler room, Xavier and his allies hid inside one of the closets where more utility pipes ran through. It was hot and steamy, but their options were limited. Outside Rahne could smell the guards doing room-by-room searches, their weapons poised and ready to fire. Getting through was going to be a challenge to say the very least.

"How far to the torture chambers?" asked Ororo, who wiped some of the sweat off her face.

"Not far," answered Xavier, "She's probably keeping them all in one area so she'll be using the biggest one she has."

"Great, that means she's using the one that can only be accessed by two points. No doubt she'll have those heavily guarded."

"First rule of thieving, cherè, never attack someone head on when you can always go around them," said Remy, who kept his ear to the door to listen to the guards walk by.

"And how are we supposed to do that?"

"Same way we got in," he answered, "We gotta find a wall we can break down to get in. Any ideas?"

Xavier thought for a moment. He knew this area better than the rest of them since he had been down here with Selene on many occasions. Selene never thought too much about putting a lot of security sensors around here because she figured nobody was crazy enough to want to break in here. But there was a first time for everything. He then got an idea.

"There is a room adjacent to the chamber," he said, "It's the room where she keeps many of her torture devices. We can get to it from behind where they won't be expecting us."

"Great! Then let's get out of here! This steam can't be good for my fur," groaned Rahne.

"Hold on, Rahne. We're going to need some cover," said Storm, "We're also going to need to hit the lights for a little stealth."

"You take care of the cover and Remy will take care of the lights," said Remy with a confident grin.

"And we'll take care of the rest," said Xavier as he readied his gun.

Remy and Ororo nodded. They weren't used to seeing Xavier as a fighter like this, but it was kind of refreshing to see that he wasn't afraid to get involved in the action.

Once a few more guards passed by, Ororo went to work. They opened the door to the utility closet where there when there were still a dozen guards in the hall. But before they could turn around and see them, Ororo formed a dense cloud of fog and sent it pouring through the area. The guards immediately scrambled to take cover. Some fired wildly into the fog, but missed completely. Xavier and Rahne were more accurate. Once the fog was in place Rahne let out a feral roar and pounced on the guards unlucky enough to stay put in the fog. Thanks to her enhanced senses, she could navigate easier. In the other direction, Xavier began firing his energy rifle at nearby guards. He was able to pick a few of the close ones off, but the fog became an obstruction for him as well. That's where Remy came in.

"Time to hit the lights!" said the Cajun.

Under the cover of the fog, Remy charged several cards and threw them at the ceiling to take out the lights. He made quick work of all of them, quickly plunging the area into nearly full darkness and further obstructing the sights of the guards. Lucky for Xavier he paid extra to have a night-vision scope installed on his rifle, something he was sure Selene didn't bother with on her guards. It made it much easier for him to aim his rifle and pick off unwitting guards one-by-one and clear a way for them down the first hall.

"This way!" he directed them, "Storm, keep the fog moving with us! Remy, keep them in the dark!"

"Right behind ya, homme!" said Remy as he kept hitting the lights with charged cards, "Just keep on shootin! Where'd you learn how to be such a crack shot anyways?"

"Here and there," he grinned as he blew the head off another one of Selene's guards, "You don't think being Black King is just all business and pleasure now do you?"

Xavier kept making his point as he turned around and shot a guard right between the eyes who tried to sneak up on Remy. The Cajun was officially convinced. This man was tougher than he let on.

Using Storm's fog to cover them, Xavier led them down two long straight-aways of halls that lead towards Selene's torture chambers. But the guards didn't make it easy for them. At one point they pulled out some boxes and spare crates from another room and used it as a barricade. It forced Xavier, Remy, and Rahne to take cover around a corner. There they had to content with more guards, but Rahne made quick work of them with her animal reflexes and predatory fighting skills. Remy also pitched in with his bow staff. But to get through the improvised barricade, they had to get a little creative. Storm took charge from there, using the fog like a cloud to form lightning and thunder. Then from behind the corner she delivered a sharp gust down the hall that knocked them off balance. Then a bolt of lighting shot out from the cloud and delivered a lethal shock to them and their barricade, shorting out more lights in the process.

"Dang! That had to sting!" commented Remy.

"That's what they get for using boxes of metal pipes as a barricade," said Ororo.

"Good work, Storm," said Xavier as he fired some extra shots into the guards that came in behind them, "Let's keep moving! The storage room is this way!"

With fog and darkness as their cover, Xavier led Rahne, Ororo, and Remy down to the end of the hall and to the left. Selene's main chambers were actually in the other direction so they were heading away from where the guards were gathering. It gave them a bit more of an opening and allowed them to move faster. They still encountered some guards, but Rahne was able to sniff them out and get the jump on them before they could sneak up on them. Any that tried to take cover were dropped by Remy and Xavier's firepower.

The halls got narrower as they navigated through the twists and turns of the corridors. That slowed them down because it allowed more guards to attack them in a more concentrated manner. Rahne showed her worth here by staying a step ahead, smelling them out and disrupting them before they could organize. Her feral growls were more intent with each one she tore into. Her animal side was really focused now, which was something she learned from Hank and had employed with great efficiency for a while now.

"Rrahhhhhhhh!" she growled as she clawed the jugulars of two guards who tried to sneak up behind them.

"She's a wild one, non?" commented Remy.

"She gets the job done," grinned Ororo, "How much further, Charles?"

"It's just down this hall," said Xavier as they neared the corner.

He took out two more guards with his rifle, dodging a couple of shots himself in the process. He was about to round the corner with Ororo close by when Rahne's keen senses picked up on something.

"Lord Xavier, wait!" she exclaimed.

She managed to get Xavier to pull back, but Ororo was already too far. As soon as she entered the corridor she was met with an unexpected sight. The guards had set up a couple of mechanized sentries, products of the late Donald Pierce. They were automated machine guns mounted on turrets set up on tripods to guard the hallway. And as soon as she stepped into the line of fire, they went off. She instinctively pulled back, but not soon enough for two bullets to graze her. One hit her in shoulder and the other took a nasty chunk off her lower thigh.

"Augh!" she cried out in pain.

"Storm!" exclaimed Remy.

The Cajun sprung into action, grabbing Ororo and pulling her out of harms way. The guns kept firing, cutting off their route. And unlike normal guards, they couldn't blind them or put them in darkness. And if Ororo couldn't concentrate, she couldn't form lightning to shut them out. So they were forced to hunker down and take cover.

"Storm! Storm, stay with me!" said Remy as he helped her down.

"Ack! I'm okay!" she grunted, "Just a flesh wound! I've had worse!"

"Well keep pressure on it!" said Xavier as he tossed them some handkerchiefs he had stashed in his jacket, "We need to get through!"

"Hold on. I'll take care of it," grunted Ororo, "Just give a minute to…"

"We don't have a minute!" said Rahne as she sniffed the air and picked up more scents, "There's more guards coming this way! We'll be boxed in!"

The first wave already showed up. Remy and Xavier went into action, shooting them down with rifle fire and charged cards. Remy protectively guarded Ororo, making sure no other shots got to her. If she wasn't in so much pain she would have smiled at such a gesture. But they wouldn't be able to hold them off for long. If they boxed them in they were finished.

"Any ideas on how to get out of this one?" asked Rahne.

"I'm working on it!" said Xavier as he shot down two more guards.

"Well work faster! We can't stay here forever!"

Xavier thought hard and fast. The sentry guns from the hall were still firing strong. If they got backed into them they were done for. They were going to need a strategy fast. They couldn't afford to be stopped now. Just then, he heard an unexpected voice in his mind.

'_Perhaps I can help, Charles.'_

Xavier stopped shooting and his eyes widened.

"Emma?!"

"Emma?" said Rahne, "What about her?"

Just as she finished that question, a group of guards who were coming for them were unexpectedly knocked out from behind. And as soon as they fell they saw a familiar figure emerge. It was Emma Frost and she was in her full diamond form. And if the bloody stains on her outfit and hands were any indication, she had been busy fighting as well.

"Emma, what's going on?!" demanded Charles, "Why aren't you with the others?!"

"It's a long story, Charles. You can yell at me and punish me all you want later. But for now, consider this a down payment of my penance."

Still in her full diamond form, she stormed past them and right into the line of fire of the sentry guns. Once in sight they focused all their firepower on her. But each round bounced right off her diamond shell, barley leaving a scratch. Then with seething grit and determination, she placed her hand over the muzzle of both guns and gripped them firmly, causing the pressure of the round to buildup and explode inside the barrel. The result was a sharp bang and a bright flash as the advanced sentry weapons were reduced to scrap metal.

When Xavier and the others heard it stop, they backed into the hallway while holding off the onslaught of guards. Remy and Rahne helped Ororo to her feet and she was able to limp into the hall. And to slow the guards down even more, Remy charged a dozen cards at once and threw them right back into the narrow hall where they had been trapped. This not only knocked out the lights, but sent a pile of debris tumbling from the ceiling. It wouldn't stop the guards from coming for them, but it would slow them down.

"You gonna be okay, cherè?" asked Remy as he looked at Ororo's wounds.

"I'll be fine," she assured him, "Thanks for covering for me."

"No need to thank, Remy. If you don't know by now how far I'm willin' to go for you then you never will."

That earned him a warm smile. Now may not have been the best time to work out issues with their feelings for one another, but it still showed.

"Save it for later, ye two," commented Rahne with a bemused look.

As they stood by Ororo while she collected herself, Xavier walked up to Emma who was still standing over the smoldering mess of the sentry guns. The stern look on his face remained as he studied her expression. He made it clear he was suspicious. There were only so many reasons why she wouldn't be trapped in the chamber with the others. Either she was helping them or she betrayed them. It was the only logical conclusion. But Emma seemed to know this and she wasn't hiding from it. It only hinted at a much more complicated story.

"I know what you're thinking, Charles," she told him in a hallow tone, "But I don't have time to explain myself."

"Then make time," he said sternly, "You are not going on with us until you give me at least a partial explanation. And remember I am the one who taught you to use your powers. I can tell if you're hiding the truth from me."

Emma sighed in acceptance. Xavier was a tough but fair man who wasn't afraid to make threats. She knew she couldn't hide from the truth. And she owed this man too much to start lying now. Plus, she had a lot to make up for.

"Fine, I'll put it in the simplest terms I can," she said, "I made a deal with Monet that ended up betraying you. I didn't know it would lead to this, but I didn't do anything to stop it once it happened."

"You made a deal and didn't know it would lead to this?" said Xavier skeptically, "What kind of deal was it?"

"A complicated deal that involved revenge and a broken heart," she answered flatly, "I promise I'll tell you everything, but the others don't have much time. Selene is about to step up her torture. If you want to save the other pawns, we need to act fast."

Xavier studied her for a moment. Emma was a deceptive woman by her own nature, but he knew how to read her. And when he looked her in the eye and scanned her thoughts, he saw no reason to believe that she was deceiving him. She really meant what she said. He also noticed a touch of bitterness and self-loathing in her tone. It indicated there really was a more complicated story behind it all.

"Very well," he told her, "But this isn't over."

"Believe me, Charles, I wouldn't want it to be," said Emma.

Remy, Ororo, and Rahne then caught up to them. They were just as surprised at Emma's arrival and had reason to be suspicious as well.

"So what? Is she with us or should we toss her back to the guards?" asked Rahne.

"She's with us," said Xavier, "I'm sure of it. And we may need her help."

"If you say so, homme," said Remy, not giving it too much thought, "How much further?"

With Emma now fighting with them, Xavier readied his weapon and took lead once more. They were getting close. Selene was about to get a rude awakening. She had already done enough to torment his pawns. The torture she inflicted would do nothing more than enrage them and make more allies for him and more enemies for her. She was about to get a lesson in Hellfire justice.

"It's the first door on the left," said Xavier as he started leading them back down the hall, "But we'll have to be careful. Sage is still probably working on the security systems. And if we're to truly catch Selene off guard, we'll need a distraction."

* * *

**Hellfire Manor – Network Hub**

Sage had been hard at work on the main network hub for nearly ten minutes. Her hands and fingers moved with lightning speed across the keyboards and terminals, her every hacking skill coming into play as she sifted through layer after layer of computer security. Her computer-like mind had never been so focused before. Every last ounce of skill was needed if they were to get the better of Selene.

She noticed how some of the security systems were not entirely hers. Someone else has been tinkering within the network. Since Selene wasn't computer savvy she assumed it was either Hank McCoy, Sinister's lackey, or Monet. And given what she saw she was leaning towards Monet. Many of the walls she put up were too perfect, as was her personality. Her only option was to go around them, which took more time. Getting control of security in a network like this was supposed to be a challenge, but even she was finding this one to be tough.

"How much longer are you going to be? Should I take a nap or something?" said Deadpool, who was lofting about in a nearby chair.

"There's more here than I expected. I should have known Selene would put in more safeguards," said Sage, who kept on typing, "This is going to take a while."

"But if security stays up how will Xavier and the others rescue the pawns?" asked Danielle.

"They won't," she answered plainly, "But if I can't shut it down the least I can do it slow it down. I should be able to scramble some of their relays and cap the bandwidth. That should limit the sensors. But that won't do anything to someone like Selene."

"Then look for a way to distract her something," said Danielle, sounding a bit more anxious, "I was able to do it. We have to something to lend him a hand."

Sage turned towards the girl for a moment. Then she turned back towards the computer screen. Danielle may be young and inexperienced, but she had a point. She proved Selene could be deceived and tricked. And when she got so focused on her anger and rage, she got sloppy. That little flaw in her twisted personality might give them the advantage they needed. She just had to find a way to exploit it. Then she saw it.

"Hold on, I think I have something," she said as she shifted her attack, "With a little creative patching, I should be able to tap into Manor's intercom system and link the input to this terminal."

"What good will that too?" asked Danielle.

"It'll give us a way to distract her," answered Sage, "We just need someone to speak into the system who will be able to say something annoying enough to get her worked up."

Sage and Danielle immediately turned to Deadpool. When he saw the look on their faces he knew what they were thinking.

"What? You think just because I'm crazy I have to do this? That's discrimination! I could sue you for that you know?"

The girls didn't say a word. They just kept giving him the same look that left little room for debate. They needed to give Xavier and the others some time and the best way to do that was to distract Selene. And there was nobody more distracting than him.

"Fine," he sighed in exasperation, "I'm still suing you though. Where do I do this?"

"Hold on, I'm patching it into a microphone," said Sage.

"Oh this is going to be good," grinned Danielle.

* * *

**Inside Selene's Chamber**

By now much of the pawns had been tired and warn down from near constant rape over the past two hours. They were all tired, battered, and sore. Many of the women were dripping with fluids and the men were battered and bruised from the women. Selene and her minions were quite thorough in having their way with them. They had been tormented and humiliated in too many ways to imagine. Needless to say their spirits were quite low. Scott, Jean, Piotr, Rogue, Warpath, Pietro, Logan, Mystique, Bobby, Jubilee, Kitty, Sam, and Julian were all on the brink. And it just seemed to keep getting worse.

When Selene came out of the room with Lorna and Laura, the other pawns were shocked to see them following her like mindless drones. They had the same blank looks on their faces as the guards, indicating Selene had done something to rob them of their free will. It was yet another blow to an already demoralized group and Selene just wouldn't let up.

"What…what did you do?!" groaned Pietro in between more whippings.

"Isn't it obvious, Pietro? Lorna's one of us now. Isn't that right?" said Alex as he affectionately slipped his arms around her waist.

"Yes…my love," she said in a daze.

"You…you son of a-ahhhhhh!" the speedster groaned as he was whipped again.

Julian also noticed the same thing with Laura. She had a different look in her eye now, one that was flat and cold like she had when she was focused on a mission. But there was no personality behind it. It was like she had been reverted to a weapon again.

"Laura…" he grunted as a couple of guards beat him.

"Yes, she'll make a fine little slave," grinned Selene as she sadistically trailed her fingers over Laura's face.

When Logan saw this, he erupted in a rage. Even though he was bloodied and battered from Sabretooth's beating, he was still in such a rage that the pain didn't matter anymore. This woman wasn't just using his enemies against him, he was using the people that mattered most to him.

"YOU FUCKING BITCH!" he howled, "I SWEAR I'LL CARVE YOU UP AND…"

"Shut up!" growled Sabretooth as he silenced him with another punch to the jaw, "Your little pet is ours now! And after I'm done killing you, I think I'll have some fun with your little mini-me afterwards! Just so I can keep sticking it to you after your death! Ha!"

Logan let out more pained groans as Sabretooth beat him. Every one of the pawns seemed to be giving in after seeing how Selene could easily turn others against them. They continued to endure the pain as they all remained chained by their arms and at the mercy of Selene and her minions. Wanda, Alex, Tabitha, Kurt, Warren, Betsy, Monet, Magneto, and Roberto led the assault while Sabretooth focused on Logan. They worked with the guards to whip, beat, and rape the pawns into a state of submission. But by now they seemed to have had enough rape. The women were sore and worn out and the men were too battered and beaten. So they focused on just whipping and beating. But that only went so far.

These pawns were tougher than many of her victims. Training in the Hellfire Club had made them that way. They wouldn't give into despair through rape and humiliation alone. They had to be scarred in ways that leave them truly helpless. And since it appeared she and her minions had enough fun with them it was time to move on to the next phase.

"Enough!" she said sternly.

Each of her minions obeyed, sneaking in one last punch or whip before rejoining their Mistress in the center. The guards backed off as well, retreating to the back like the good mindless drones they were. Sabretooth backed off as well and got dressed, but it took some coaxing from Monet and Wanda.

Once everybody had gathered they put their clothes back on. Lorna and Laura were only given a uniform of revealing lingerie to display their new slave status. It was a bit more revealing than the others, but they were in no condition to resist. Selene got dressed too, putting on her best lingerie for this moment. Once dressed she started walking up and down the bound pawns, taking in the sight of their battered and bruised bodies. Many were distant and dazed from all the pain and humiliation. Most wouldn't even look up at her. As she walked along she grabbed the faces of Bobby, Scott, and Kitty and forced them to look her in the eye briefly. Then she stopped at Jean, who was still showing signs of irrational movements.

"Hnnn…" groaned Jean.

"Oh give it a rest, bitch," said Selene, "Face it. It's over. I've won."

"Fuck you…" growled Logan through the pain.

Annoyed with his defiance, Selene walked over towards him and slapped him in the face just to reinforce her point.

"My minions have had their fun with you and you've amused us with your bodies and your pathetic cries long enough!" she said in a dark, sadistic tone, "But that only means you're all useless to me now. There's no reason why I should keep you alive. And you know what that means."

With a sadistic grin, Selene walked over to the table and pulled out an elaborately decorated knife with a small skull on the handle. She then started walking around the pawns, trailing the knife along their necks and faces. Some cringed at the feeling while others grit their teeth in defiance. But it made no difference to her.

"Now the next part will make you wish you had died with the first round," grinned the Black Queen, "See, over the centuries I've mastered nearly every art of torture. And I've found in my experience that it isn't just the fear of death that pushes people over the edge. It's still being alive and conscious as their bodies and mangled and broken, carved up like livestock!"

That notion would make even the most defiant victims cringe in fear. Selene's cruelty truly knew no bounds and she was going to take it out on all of them.

"So with a little magic and some special 'techniques' I've picked up, I'm going to ensure you're all alive and fully conscious as I cut those perfect little bodies up and fill you with an agony and dread the likes of which you've can't imagine! It's going to be long, painful, and messy! And only after I feel you've suffered enough or after I get bored listening to your pain (which isn't likely), I will suck away your life energy and end your pathetic lives!"

It was a terrible way to go. Scott, Jean, Piotr, Rogue, Warpath, Pietro, Logan, Mystique, Bobby, Jubilee, Kitty, Sam, and Julian had always feared that Selene's cruelty would catch up to them. But they never imagined it happening like this. She really had won. Xavier was gone and she had them at their mercy. There really was no escape.

"Now then…any last words of mercy before I begin?" she grinned.

"Yeah…" said Logan as he coughed up more blood, "You're still a bitch."

Selene's expression contorted in anger. Even after describing the agony she would put them in, some still dared to defy her. She stormed over to Logan and grabbed his neck.

"Just for that, I'll start with you first!"

"Go ahead…" growled Wolverine.

Selene was about to dig her knife into this man's flesh to make an example out of him and everyone else who crossed her. Then she looked to Mystique, who was hanging next to her, and had another idea.

"Fine, I'll have my time with you soon enough," she told him, "But I think I'll start with someone else first!"

Logan then watched in horror as Selene drove the knife right into Mystique's shoulder. She let out an agonizing cry of pain, one that rang strongly for Logan and Rogue for that matter. It was an even greater show of cruelty, torturing someone he cared about to torture him.

"No!" he exclaimed.

"Mama!" Rogue cried out.

"Oh yes!" Selene seethed, twisting the knife to cause Mystique more pain.

"AAUUUGGHHH!" she cried out.

"That's right! Feel the pain! Feel the suffering! Soon every one of you will know it! And I plan on enjoying every minute of it until…"

Suddenly, just as Selene seemed poised to proclaim her dominance, a deafening high pitched tone echoed throughout the room from the speakers that were built into nearly every room. It was loud and annoying, causing Selene and her minions to cover their ears.

"Augh! What the…" groaned Monet, whose advanced senses were really affected.

"What the hell is that?!" exclaimed Wanda.

But Selene already had a bad feeling about this. She didn't want to believe it, but her instincts knew the truth.

"No…it can't be!" she grunted angrily.

Then through the tone they all heard a loud, obnoxious voice that they all knew well.

"_Attention all valued Wal-Mart shoppers, this is public service announcement. You're security systems are currently being compromised by a hot looking girl who has a thing for men in black and red masks and having her hair pulled during sex. Please expect outages, malfunctions, and the slight possibility of a few explosions. In the meantime, our crack team of official Deadpool employees is on their way to help solve your problem and maybe even give you a nice kick in the ass! Thank you for your attention, valued customers. Please drive safely! A reminder, this announcement was brought to you in part to Deadpool Inc. Our motto is that when the world goes to hell, the safest place is insanity! Now for your entertainment…"_

Selene and her minions dreaded and seethed with anger while the other pawns felt the first glimmer of hope in what seemed like forever.

"You've gotta be fucking kidding me!" exclaimed Selene.

Then the noise from the speakers returned and from it they heard what was quite possibly the worst singing in the history of sound.

"_I GAVE MY LOVE A CHERRY! IT HAD NO STONE! I GAVE MY LOVE A CHICKEN IT HAD NO BONE! I GAVE MY LOVE A RING THAT HAD NO END! I GAVE MY LOVE A BABY WITH NO CRYIN'!"_

The booming, obnoxious voice echoed through the stone walls and forced many of Selene's minions to cover their ears. Even the pawns struggled to ignore it. As nice as it was to hear that one of Xavier's allies was alive, Deadpool was not known for his singing talents or his sanity. But his presence and his singing only enraged Selene as she turned towards Sabretooth.

"You fool! I thought you said you killed this clown with the others!" exclaimed the Black Queen.

"I did, damn it!" Victor Creed roared back, "I told you the whole damn building blew up! There was nothin' left!"

"Obviously you didn't look hard enough!" scorned Monet.

"But if Deadpool's alive then that could mean…" began Warren, but he didn't get a chance to finish.

In the midst of the blaring speakers, a deafening bang rocked the chamber. A huge chunk of the back half of the room was completely blown in and a gaping hole was opened. The force of the blast was so strong it took out a number of guards who had been sitting back there. Selene and her minions were nearly knocked back a little while the bound pawns could only brace themselves and await whatever it was caused the explosion. And when the dust cleared they saw a figure emerge that lifted all their spirits.

"Hello Selene," said Charles Xavier with his rifle firmly in hand.

"Xavier?! It's not possible!" exclaimed the Black Queen.

But the Black King didn't give her time to process it. While she was still in shock, he aimed his high energy rifle and fired a well placed shot directly at her face. When it hit she let out an angry howl and fell back. Few things were as satisfying as the feeling Charles Xavier got as a result. Not only did he keep his promise to Moria, he delivered just a small bit of punishment to the woman who betrayed him. And that was just a taste.

"My Mistress!" exclaimed Wanda.

"Get them!" commanded Monet.

But before Selene's minions could organize, Xavier stepped in.

"Storm! Blow them back!" he commanded.

"With pleasure, Charles," said Ororo.

Storm stepped forth, her eyes glowing in the intense glowing white color that indicated the use of her powers. She summoned all the wind from this small room and the room and hall they just came from and directed a powerful, sharp gust that she directed over the bound pawns and right at Selene's minions. Before they knew it Wanda, Alex, Tabitha, Kurt, Warren, Betsy, Monet, Laura, Lorna, Magneto, and Roberto were blown back against a wall along with many of Selene's masked guards, who were still naked from earlier.

"Hurry, free the others!" Xavier commanded.

Remy, Rahne, and Emma stormed in and immediately began undoing the restraints that were keeping the pawns bound. As soon as they let them go, their bruised and naked bodies fell limply to the floor. They were all still conscious and all very much angered and in pain. After what Selene just put them through they wanted more than anything to make her suffer just as she had done with them.

"Come on, you guys! Get up already! You don't have time to be out of it!" said Rahne as she freed Warpath and Piotr.

"I'm…trying!" grunted Warpath.

"Selene…put a spell on us," said Piotr, who was equally immobilized.

"Great," groaned Rahne.

"This could be a problem," said Remy as he freed Rogue and Mystique.

But while they were contemplating this Emma was freeing Scott and Jean. She had mixed feelings about it given how bitter she was with these two. But after what they went through and how she betrayed everybody, she knew she had no right to feel resentment. And when Scott saw her she noticed the suspicious look he gave her. It was a clear sign he suspected her involvement.

"Emma…how could you?" he told her in a raspy tone, "You actually helped Selene? Only to turn on her? You're a coward."

"Scott, my darling…I deserve so much worse," she said in a low tone.

After letting Scott fall free, Emma went to undo Jean's restraints. But before she could Jean started thrashing violently. Even though the torture had stopped, she was still acting as though something was affecting her. Her body started twisting and contorting she kept on groaning. It was as if she was struggling with something and it wasn't just the lingering effects of the torture.

"Jean…" said Scott as he looked up at his love.

"What the hell is wrong with her?!" exclaimed Emma, unable to get close enough to free her.

"I don't know," he said, "But something's happening."

All the pawns were free except Jean now. Remy and Rahne kept trying to get them up while Xavier kept watch with his rifle and Storm kept the winds blowing against Selene's minions. A few guards tried to sneak through to stop them, but Xavier shot them down easily. Since they were naked they weren't armed and they were easy prey. But Selene's minions wouldn't be so easy.

"I've…had….ENOUGH!" yelled Wanda.

Using her hex powers, Wanda shot at Ororo and managed to hit her head on. This knocked the African thief back. And when the winds stopped Selene's minions were allowed to regroup. Wanda, Kurt, Alex, Monet, Warren, Betsy, Roberto, and Tabitha each stood up ready to fight. Magneto, Lorna, and Laura remained back in a daze, not moving until they were ordered to. But they didn't need them in order to take Xavier down.

"You should have stayed dead, Xavier!" Wanda proclaimed.

"Yeah, you're just making it harder for yourself!" said Roberto as he powered up.

"You'll all regret the day you betrayed the Inner Circle," said Xavier, "Every one of you will be punished. But your Mistress Selene, will go first."

Then from the wall, Selene rose up. She was still clutching her face, which was still bloodied but her immortal powers helped her recover. She was beyond furious now. Her sights were set completely on Xavier.

"I don't think so!" she proclaimed, her eyes now glowing with mystical energy.

Xavier turned his rifle towards her, but then she cast a spell that caused it to literally melt in his hands. The Black King was forced to take a step back. He had a feeling Selene wouldn't go down without a fight. He watched her minions prepare to attack, but she waved them off. She wanted to take care of this personally.

"I don't know how you survived, Charles! I watched them chop up your body!" she exclaimed.

"Sorry, Selene, but you can't get rid of me that easily," said Xavier strongly, "You can try to kill me all you want, but you'll never escape the wrath of the Inner Circle!"

"Ha! I AM the Inner Circle! You want wrath? I'll show you wrath!"

Selene prepared to strike down her rival yet again. But as she and Xavier were staring each other down, Jean was becoming increasingly erratic. Remy and Rahne joined Emma to help free her, but she wouldn't stop groaning and thrashing about. None of the others were reacting like this. They were beginning to suspect it had nothing to do with the effects of the spell or even the torture. This was something else entirely.

"What in the hell is wrong with this cherè?" exclaimed Remy.

"I don't know. But I think we better take a step back," said Rahne.

"What makes you say that? What's going on with her?!" demanded Emma.

"I think we're about to find out."

The three mutants stepped back as Jean's thrashing became more violent. She was starting to bend and break the chains with strength they had never seen in her before. Then through her pained groans they heard a voice, only it didn't sound very much like Jean.

"**Errrrrrrrrr the power! The fire! The passion! I…I feel it! I must…I must embrace it! THE POWER!"**

Then in a brilliant burst of light, Jean Grey was completely consumed with an aura of golden flames. This powerful burst was so intense it even forced Selene and Xavier to back off a bit. It was a sudden and unexpected turn of events. None of the other pawns knew what it was. Not even Selene's minions could make sense of it. But Xavier and Selene had an idea of what it might be. And for Selene, it was not good.

"No…not this! Not now!" she exclaimed.

"Looks like you're finally about to get some competition, Selene," grinned Xavier.

The Black King helped Storm up and moved back while the golden flames continued to consume Jean. As it did, the chains binding her wrists were shattered by an unseen force and the paralyzing spell that had kept Jean immobile was broken. Once free, she hovered in mid air with the fires surrounding her still naked body. She was panting hard and her eyes were glowing bright orange as if they were consumed with flame. It was a beautiful display that was clearly mystical in nature. Then in a show of power, she formed a new set of clothes around her body. Soon she was wearing skin tight black leather pants and a black top with a bird shape cover over her amble breasts. Her expression seethed with a mix of hatred, determination, and raw passion.

"**Selene! You will pay for your crimes!"**

"Jean Grey…wielding the mystical power of the Phoenix?!" seethed Selene.

"The Phoenix?" said Tabitha in confusion, "What the hell is that?!"

"You mean THE Phoenix?" said Wanda, "That ancient power you once told me about?"

"The very same," said Selene as she stepped forth to face Jean, "But I assure you, I can handle even this great power!"

"**We'll see about that!"**

With a determined grunt, Jean raised her hands and formed aura of fire around herself. Then with a forceful gesture, she directed a burst of golden flames right towards the Black Queen. Selene responded by firing a blast of mystic energy of her own. But she was unprepared for the force of the power she was up against. She was used to dealing with sorcerers who were below her, who weren't wielding the power of an immortal. But this was different. The power of the Phoenix was no pushover. And her lack of preparation was her undoing.

"Errrrrr…you're still no match!" taunted Selene through her struggle.

"**Match THIS!"**

With another forceful gesture, Jean unleashed a powerful blast wave that overwhelmed Selene. It knocked her and her minions back with such force that the wall behind them was blown out and even the wall behind that. It left Selene's infamous torture chamber with a gaping scar, which was a welcome sight for Xavier's pawns.

"Wow…that's hot," said Bobby.

"I…I still can't move!" groaned Kitty.

"It's the spell," said Xavier as he knelt down to his weakened pawns.

Xavier then turned towards Jean, who was still focused and intent on Selene. But as much as he wanted to see her inflict more pain on the former Black Queen, the other pawns needed her help.

"Jean! Jean, can you hear me?"

"**I'm here, Lord Xavier. I am still Jean. Only now, I wield the vast mystical power of the Phoenix! It's so strong! I…I'm not sure how long I can channel it!"**

Scott, fighting through soreness and pain, looked up at her in awe. She looked so beautiful, if not divine in her current state. He always felt as though she had a special aura to her. He felt it that first night they made love when her mystical powers became active. This was just further proof. That special aura was something more powerful than any of them ever could have expected.

"Jean…" he said in a raspy voice.

Jean looked down at him and her intent focus shifted briefly to one of love.

"**Yes, my love…I hear you. It's me. Do not worry. I am in control. This power goes through me."**

"I always…knew you were special," he said, managing a smile.

"**Thanks for helping me realize it."**

They shared an affectionate gesture, one that Emma clearly saw. She couldn't help but be a little taken by it, but the bitterness that she used to feel wasn't as strong anymore. She felt many different emotions when she saw this, but now was not the time to dwell on them.

"Jean…" said Scott through his pain, "See if you can use it to break the paralysis spell. We have to get the others out of here."

"And get em some of those hot clothes while you at it," said Remy, who was now helping Ororo stay upright.

"**I'll see what I can do."**

Refocusing her energy, Jean turned to her fellow pawns. With a simple wave of her hand, she cast a spell that lifted Selene's hold on them. Suddenly, they could all move their limbs again. And to conceal their modesty after what happened, she cast another spell that magically formed their Hellfire uniforms over their bodies.

When the pawns felt this it came as a great relief. They were still sore, tired, and humiliated. But they weren't helpless anymore. They could fight. And they were so angry right now they would love nothing more than to put Selene through what they just went through. But their bodies reminded them of their limits.

"Finally! I can move again!" said Julian, "Oh fuck and it hurts!"

"Augh! Me too!" groaned Pietro, "I don't even think I can run!"

"And Ah don't think Ah can blast!" said Sam.

"Guess we'll just have to beat Selene to death with snowballs!" groaned Bobby, who could barely lift his shoulder.

While many were pretty sore and very much out of it, some were able to get up more easily. As soon as Piotr could move again, he activated his powers and helped Kitty get up. With so much rape and beatings inflicted on her she could barely stand.

"Augh! My legs!" she groaned.

"It's okay, Katya. I'm here now," he said softly, trying to comfort her.

Others with invulnerability and healing powers also recovered quickly. Warpath's scratches and bruises quickly healed over and he was able to return to his feet. Logan and Rogue were able to as well. Logan was so bloodied and battered it took him a little longer though. But he wasn't concerned about healing or even fighting. As soon as he could move again, he came to Mystique's aid. She was still in a lot of pain, clutching her shoulder that Selene had stabled. She was a good healer as well, but she had her limits.

"Raven…Raven, stay with me, darlin'!" he urged as he took her in his arms.

Rogue quickly knelt down and checked her out as well. It looked pretty bad and as mad and violated as she was, her concern for her mother took precedent.

"Mama! Mama, are you okay?"

"Ugh…I think I'm going to be sick," she groaned as she coughed up some blood.

"It'll be okay, mama! We're free now! We can fight back!"

"Hnn…Selene," she groaned, "That bitch stabs hard!"

"Easy Misty, we'll get her back," said Logan as he held her protectively in his arms.

Looking around, Charles Xavier assessed the situation. Many of his pawns were in no condition to fight. Only those that could heal would be able to strike back, but even with their strength and anger on their side Selene still had the upper hand. She had all the guards on her side as well as a group of her own minions that included a brainwashed Lorna, X-23, and Magneto. They were outmatched. Fighting her like this was a battle he and the other pawns couldn't win. With that in mind, he made a decision and turned to Jean, who was still burning with the power of the Phoenix.

"Jean, I need you to get us out of here!" he ordered.

"**What?! No, we cannot leave now! I must make Selene suffer for what she did to me!"**

"We have to make her suffer for what she did to all of us!" exclaimed Pietro, who could barely stand.

"I know, but you're all in no condition to fight effectively! And if we can't win this fight then we have to pull back!"

"No way!" exclaimed Julian, "What about Laura and Lorna?"

"This is not up for discussion! We must get out of here!" said Xavier strongly, "I am still Black King and I need you all to heed my words! We will get back at Selene! But we can't do so in our current state!"

Nobody wanted to leave without inflicting some sort of punishment on Selene. But looking around, they could see Xavier's point. Scott, Pietro, and Bobby were so bruised with scratch marks and sore body parts they could barely stand. Jubilee and Kitty were also really sore from repeated rape and violation and with no healing, they wouldn't last long in any fight. Sam and Julian had some broken bones to contend with, some of which were already swelling into nasty welts and wouldn't last long in a fight either. Even in his metal form, Piotr showed signs of wariness in how he grunted every time he moved his limbs. Rogue and Warpath, despite their invulnerability, were still in a lot of pain from earlier and while surface wounds would be healed the internal wounds would take a bit longer. Even Logan, who usually never backed down from a fight, could see good reason to pull out. Mystique was still bleeding hard from a stab wound and she needed treatment. And Jean, despite her new power, was still ill-prepared for this. She could sense the lingering feelings of violation, pain, and humiliation. It hurt them all and would hinder them in any fight of this magnitude.

Despite plenty of reservation and a burning anger towards the former Black Queen, the young pawns pulled back behind Xavier and Jean. Remy, Ororo, Rahne, and Emma gathered with them, sensing only a little of how bad their torment had been. While Emma wouldn't talk about it, Ororo and the others were supportive.

"We'll get her back," she assured them.

"We better," said Scott bitterly, "What do we do now, Lord Xavier?"

"Leave it to me, Scott," said the Black King.

The Black King then sent a psychic call out to Sage, who was still hard at work on the security system. Even though they were in full force now, they needed that security down if they were to escape.

'_Sage? What's your status? Is the system down?'_

'_Sorry, Charles, but it's taking longer than I expected. Selene must have had that bitch, Monet, do some upgrades to my security programs.'_

'_Can you get around them?'_

'_Yes, but I need time.'_

'_That is something I'm afraid I cannot afford you at the moment. We have the other pawns, but we need to get them out of here! Can you at least disable the ground floor system?'_

There was a silence over the link. Xavier assumed Sage was assessing the situation as she always did with her computer-like mind. She had pulled through many other situations like this before. He needed her to do it once again.

'_Hold on, I think I may have found a way. Get up there as soon as possible. I'll take care of it.'_

'_Thank you, Sage. We'll meet up soon.'_

'_Yes…soon.'_

_

* * *

_**Hellfire Manor – Network Hub**

Sage's busy fingers never stopped moving as she continued her relentless hacking on the main terminal. It was proving more difficult than she anticipated. She designed her programs to be hack proof and with Monet's interference, she was having even more trouble. Sweat was starting to form on her face and she could sense she was running out of time. If she couldn't get this security system down then Xavier and the others would be in big trouble. But she refused to let that happen.

She made one last major push to short out the security. She tried opening every secret file she had and crunching the firewalls with an array of passwords and identification cracks. She just needed one to work in order to get in, but if they all failed then she would be locked out and out of options. She kept typing and typing, waiting patiently for a hit. She couldn't go any further unless she beat this firewall. For a moment it looked as though one of the cracks worked. She immediately went to enter, but then she was once again locked out.

"Damn," she said in a flat tone.

"Damn? Damn is never good," said Deadpool, "Well…almost anyways. I remember this time…"

"Deadpool!" exclaimed Danielle, shutting him up before he could go off, "Miss Sage, what is it? Are you done?"

"I'm afraid our situation has just gotten more complicated," said Sage, not showing any emotion like always, "It doesn't look like I'll be able to shut down the system as I planned."

"So the others will be trapped?!" she lamented.

"I said I won't be able to shut it down as I planned. That doesn't mean I still can't shut it down. It's just going to require something a bit more…extreme."

Danielle didn't like the sound of that and neither did Deadpool. Sage was never one for exaggeration. When she said she was going to extremes, she meant it.

"Sage, babe, you're scaring the kid. What are you talking about?" asked Deadpool.

Sage kept her eyes on the screen and kept typing.

"I don't have time to explain it. All you need to know is I will knock security out and you two shouldn't be here when it happens. You need to go meet up with Xavier on the ground floor and you need to leave now!"

"But what about you?" asked Danielle.

"Don't worry about me," she said, still not looking their way, "I'll catch up. I just need to do what I have to do and you need to back up Xavier. I've opened up one of the emergency elevators just outside this room. Take it and you'll be good to go."

It was always hard to read Sage. She was always good at hiding her emotions and concealing a certain subtext to her words. But even she couldn't hide just how dire a situation this was. Danielle knew it and so did Deadpool. But they knew Sage well enough to understand that she wasn't moving from where she was. She was determined to finish the job no matter what the cost.

"But Miss Sage…"

"Go!" she commanded, "Go now or it'll be too late!"

Danielle hesitated, but Deadpool rushed her along.

"You heard the pretty lady, Dani girl. We better get going! So get those illusions up and follow me! Stay close and I'll get you some ice cream afterwards!"

There was no room for argument. Deadpool shoved Danielle along, leading her out of the highly secure room. But before he left he looked back at Sage, who was still locked onto the computer.

"Later beautiful," he told her, "We'll always have Paris."

Sage didn't reply, but her usually stoic expression shifted a little as she continued her work. She opened the path for Danielle and Deadpool, hoping they could get to Xavier soon. She only hoped that Xavier would make good on his word to make Selene pay. The man had given her a lot in the time she had been with the Hellfire Club. He gave her more than she could ever thank him for. And what she was about to do for him would be a small but fitting payment for him. She owed him as such.

* * *

**Selene's Torture Chamber**

With all the pawns having gathered themselves enough to stand, Xavier had them move in close with Jean, who was still surrounded in the golden flames of the Phoenix. They all gathered slowly due to soreness and injuries. That and the humiliation Selene had them endured still lingered, but they were all eager to get out of this hell hole.

"Ack! My arm!" grunted Mystique, still clutching the area where Selene stabbed her.

"Hold on, darlin'. We're almost outta here," said Logan.

It was a comforting feeling. But from the gaping hole in the wall left earlier by Jean, Selene emerged from under a pile of rocks looking dirtied and royally pissed. Her minions were behind her, but still recovering. But she didn't need them for this.

"You're not going anywhere!" bellowed Selene, her eyes glowing with intent, "I am still Black Queen you will suffer by my hand! I'll see to it that you all suffer and die in these walls!"

"Not today, Selene," said Xavier sternly, "You are no longer Black Queen. You gave up that title when you turned on us. Now you will suffer the consequences. They may not come today, but mark my word you will pay for your betrayal."

Then the Black King turned towards Jean.

"We're ready, Jean," he told her, "Do what you can and get us out of here!"

"**Yes sir…I'll do my best."**

Jean, in her fiery form, closed her eyes and concentrated her power around her fellow pawns. This power was still new to her, but she could feel it flowing through her strongly. With it she cast a spell that surrounded her and everyone else in a golden aura of mystical energy. When Selene saw this she tried to stop them by firing a round of mystic bolts at her. Wanda emerged and did the same, but they had no effect.

"Damn it! Why aren't my hex bolts working?!" exclaimed Wanda.

"Damn Phoenix!" cursed Selene.

"So long, Selene," said Xavier, "We'll meet again."

"So will we, Wanda," Pietro added, "We're not done…not yet."

Then while surrounded by golden flames and guided by the power of Jean's spell, Xavier and his pawns were levitated into the air briefly. Then like a rocket they shot up through the ceiling, shattering the rock, wood, and stone like it was as frail as tin foil. Debris and shrapnel exploded all around them, but not one speck of it touched the pawns. They were protected by the powerful golden flames every step of the way. It was a bit of a bumpy ride, but it got them out of the chambers where they suffered so much.

"ERRRRRR GET BACK HERE YOU COWARDS!" yelled Selene, "I'M NOT FINISHED WITH YOU! GET BACK AND FACE YOUR FATE!"

But Selene's angry cries fell on deaf ears as the pawns braced themselves. When they reached the barrier between the sub-basement levels and the ground floor, they hit a particularly thick layer. Since a lot of Hellfire Manor was underground, the previous Inner Circle installed a thick layer of defenses so scanners and spies such as those from SHIELD or the Avengers couldn't pick up on them. The layer was made out of steel, lead, and titanium alloys. When they first hit it, they were slowed. But then Jean pushed harder and was able to break through. But in doing so, she pushed herself too far.

When they broke through into the main foyer, Jean let out a pained groan as the golden flames around her subsided.

"**Augh!"**

"Jean!" exclaimed Scott as he caught her before she collapse.

"Dang, what a ride," said Rogue as she caught her breath, "Is she alright?"

"She's fine," said Scott, holding her close, "Just pushed herself a little hard."

"Well we may need her to do it again," said Sam as he looked around, "Because Ah think we ain't getting out of here through the front door."

Sam was right. As they all looked around they noticed that every door and window had been sealed shut behind a thick layer of metal shielding. It was part of their security system that kept everything out and any prisoners in.

"What's taking Sage so long?" said Ororo anxiously, "She was supposed to have had the security system down by now!"

"Maybe they made upgrades," said Julian.

"Well we can't let it stop us!" said Warpath, "Is there another way out?"

"I'm working on it," said Xavier.

"Well you better work faster, Lord Xavier. Because we've got company," said Jubilee.

The other pawns looked around and saw what Jubilee was referring to. All around them they saw swarms of armed guards converging on the area. They poured out from every hall and every door, the masked men of Selene's elite guard, armed and focused on one mission and that was taking them down. They covered every opening from every side, barricading themselves so that they wouldn't be able to get through. That along with the metal plates surrounding every wall made escape look all the more difficult.

"Ooh boy, Jean we sure could use another round of that magic you got," said Bobby.

"I…I don't think I can," said Jean, her eyes still burning but unable to push herself like she had earlier.

"Well we can't stop now!" exclaimed Logan, "Not after coming this far!"

It wasn't looking good. Scott, Jean, Piotr, Rogue, Warpath, Pietro, Logan, Mystique, Bobby, Jubilee, Kitty, Sam, Julian, Rahne, Remy, Emma, Ororo, and Xavier were trapped, staring down the barrel of countless guns. They were all ready to fire, set to take them down at the slightest possible move. They all seemed to know Selene valued her victims alive so she could torture them. And if they all got captured again she would truly show no mercy.

"Any ideas yet?" asked Rahne.

"I'm still working on it," said Xavier, "Nobody make a move until we have a chance!"

But the guards wouldn't have it.

"Your chances have run out, Charles Xavier," said one of the masked guards, "You and your pawns will face the wrath of our queen or perish. That is your only chance."

The guards were about to take aim and shoot them. It looked like it was going to end once more.

"Here we go again," groaned Remy.

But just as they were about to fire, another deafening explosion rocked the manor. It was so intense it caused the foundation to shake, causing many of the guards to lose their composure and many of the pawns to fall back as well.

"What the hell was that?!" exclaimed Scott.

"I don't know, but I think it came from outside!" said Piotr.

"It did," said Emma, "And I think I know who it is."

Xavier sensed it to and before they could reveal anything further, there was another explosion. This time it was even more powerful than the one before. In a blinding flash, a huge hole was blown into the front entrance of the manor. It knocked out the walls, the windows, and the thick metal panels that had been keeping them trapped. The blast wave hit many of the guards, knocking many off their feet and some out cold. For the pawns, Julian instinctively put up a telekinetic shield to protect them. Now there was a gaping hole the size of a small house in the wall and standing just outside was an imposing figure carrying some familiar looking devices.

"Who the hell is that?!" exclaimed Warpath.

"I don't know, but it looks like…" Kitty began.

But then Rahne finished and her eyes widened at the sight.

"Hank?!" she exclaimed.

When the dust settled the imposing figure of the new Hank McCoy agilely leapt into the manor, a bag full of Norman Osborn's infamous pumpkin bombs at his side. He looked nothing like the Hank anybody remembered. He was bigger, more muscular, and had a much darker shade to his fur. His face was also more beast-like, carrying with it a very dark presence that had in it a touch of madness.

"Hello Rahne," he growled in a cold tone, "Hello everybody. I hope you saved some action for me."

"Hank, what the hell did you do to yourself? And why are you here?" Rahne asked, carefully stepping in closer to his imposing form.

"There is no more Hank, my dear. Only the beast…a very dark beast," he growled, "And I'm just here to help you…and help myself to the blood of these insects!"

Then with a menacing roar, Hank leapt into the air and tackled the nearest group of guards before they could get up. She watched in a mix of shock and horror as he tore into them with feral brutality, ripping their limbs off and even biting chunks of their flesh off. As he did these brutal acts she could swear there was a grin on his feral face, as if doing this was fueling a deep madness. When the other guards saw this they quickly rushed to take him down, but Hank just tore into them as well, using the pumpkin bombs to blow up more large areas of the area and taking a number of guards with it.

"Well surprise aside, I hate to squander a good opportunity," said Remy.

"Agreed," said Xavier, "Let's get out of here!"

But the guards weren't going to make it easy for them.

"No! Stop them!" exclaimed one of the guards, "Mistress Selene's orders must be obeyed!"

"Not today, bub," growled Logan.

While Hank took care of more guards, the pawns mobilized against a team of guards that were now standing between them and the gaping hole leading to freedom. With Jean still recovering, Scott stayed close to her and used his optic blasts to take down a team of guards that tried to attack them from the side. Jean, while weakened, was still able to use her telekinesis to deflect incoming shots. But she still had to lean on Scott for support. Next to them, Emma Frost, reverted to her diamond form and drew the fire of another team of guards. The rounds bounced harmlessly off her and she was able to take them down with a few hard punches and kicks. And while she had been silent for the most part, she did not escape Scott and Jean's scrutiny.

"Trying to make us forget what you did?" said Jean, still breathing hard from earlier.

"Of course not," answered Emma as she slugged a guard across the face, "When have you ever known me to care anyways?"

It was a snide remark, but Emma was an issue they would have to deal with later. Next to them, Piotr was also protecting Kitty. In his metal form he grabbed any nearby guards that tried to attack and literally crushed their skulls. When they did shoot at them, Kitty managed to phase the rounds through them. And despite her injuries she managed to help others, using her phasing powers to protect Jubilee and Remy as they fired rounds of fireworks and charged cards into any guards that tried to take them down from a distance. Julian also protected them by using his telekinesis to draw their fire and then deflect it with a shield. He was a bit too weak to get air-born, but he was able to take his anger out on the guards.

"This one's for Laura!" he grunted as he crushed the ribs of two guards.

"Save that for later, kid. You'll need it!" growled Logan.

Logan, having healed up, drew his claws and leapt right into the nearest cluster of guards. There he started slicing and hacking away at any guard and ignoring any shot he took. While he took out the guards, Rogue stayed with her mother and helped protect her from any that tried to get in close. Xavier stayed with her as well, using her mind to help numb out the pain and keep her conscious. And despite this condition she still wanted to participate.

"Let me…take them!" grunted Mystique.

"You're in no condition to fight, mama!" said Rogue as she kicked a guard clear across the foyer, "Just hand tight while we clear em out!"

"Ungh!" she groaned as she tried to move.

"Easy Mystique," said Xavier, "It's almost over."

Xavier looked out into the sky and saw a distinct light coming down from the clouds. It was one of the Hellfire jets and he could sense Moria inside taking them down. They just had to hold out for a bit longer.

Sam and Pietro teamed up to hoard the guards back into rooms and other areas of the manner using speed and Sam's blast ramming. Once behind a door, Bobby used his ice powers to freeze it shut. Those they missed were taken out by Warpath, who was on a tear. He hit some guards so hard half their bodies nearly snapped off. Those that tried to escape were easy prey for Rahne and Ororo, who was trying to use storm clouds and winds to blow away any guards remaining from the blast and keep reinforcements from arriving. But as they fought, Rahne kept trying to fight her way to Hank. From the looks of it, he wasn't fighting to survive. He was drawing them all into a corner near the stairs, luring them away from her and the others. He was just ripping into any guard near him and ignoring any that attacked him. He already took two shots and was bleeding, but he didn't care.

"Hank! Hank, get out of there!" she exclaimed.

"No…I must finish this!" he roared, "For you, Rahne!"

Rahne watched with mixed emotions as he ripped the head off one of the guards. Then two came up from behind and jammed two long knives into him. Hank howled in pain, but didn't slow down for an instant. He just turned around, grabbed the guards, and ripped them to shreds.

"Hank…" said Rahne as she started moving towards him.

Then a guards tried to sneak up on her. But luckily, Ororo was there to hit him with some lightning.

"Rahne, come on! We have to get outside!" she urged her.

"But Hank…"

"He knows what he's doing," she told him, "Let him do what he must!"

Rahne still didn't like it. But the battle was too intense to scrutinize it. She went back to pouncing on any remaining guards, but she continued to keep an eye on Hank.

Now outside with Mystique still leaning on him, Xavier looked up into the rainy skies to see the Hellfire jet from Moria descending towards them. He waved into the air, signaling her down. With many of the guards dead or immobilized, they were just about ready to make their final escape.

'_I'm here, Charles! Are the other pawns alright?'_

'_They're fine, Moria. Just bring the jet down lower and open the hatch! We're almost finished here!'_

Moria did as instructed, lowering the jet so that it now hovered right next to the front entrance of the Manor. Xavier helped Mystique limped towards it and then turned back to the others.

"Everybody, get in the jet!" he ordered, "We're leaving!"

"Sweeter words were never spoken," said Jubilee.

"Wait! What about Sage and the others?" asked Ororo.

Before Xavier could answer, there was another smaller explosion from a narrow hall off to the east from the stairs. Several guards were blown out, mangled and bloodied from what looked like bullet wounds and bombs. And shortly after they came out, two figures emerged. It was Deadpool and Danielle.

"Aww come on! You guys couldn't save me at least a few guards?" Deadpool complained.

"I never thought I'd love hear that obnoxious voice so much," grinned Pietro.

"Danielle! You're alive!" exclaimed Kitty.

"What happened to you?" asked Sam, "How did all this…"

"It's a long story," she said as she caught up to them, stepping over some dead bodies in the process, "Let's just get out of this place."

"Gladly," said Bobby.

"What about Sage?" asked Xavier.

Danielle's demeanor shifted.

"She says…she'll catch up," she said distantly.

Xavier picked up on the subtext of her words. He knew what they meant and immediately tried to contact her with his telepathy.

'_Sage? Can you hear me? Where are you?!'_

'_Still in the network hub. I'm sorry, Charles, but I won't be able to finish this as I intended. I'll have to go to plan B.'_

'_And what does that entail?'_

'_You know full well what it entails, Charles. Don't make me explain it while time is short.'_

Xavier was silent. He knew what Sage was implying. He could sense it in her thoughts. She understood what she was doing and wasn't thinking twice about it. And it struck Xavier hard because this was a woman he did care for. She had been with him since the beginning. For her to do something like this was a high price to pay, but he knew her well enough to understand when she would not be stopped.

'_I'm sorry, Sage.'_

'_Don't be sorry, Charles. You've given me a lot. Now it's my turn.'_

Swallowing his emotion, Xavier signaled for all the pawns to gather around the jet.

"Everybody in the jet! Hurry!" he ordered.

"Don't need to tell us twice," said Pietro.

Scott, Jean, Piotr, Rogue, Warpath, Pietro, Logan, Mystique, Bobby, Jubilee, Kitty, Sam, Julian, Remy, Emma, and Ororo left what was left of the guards behind and entered the jet. Ororo and Julian used their powers to levitate them inside so they could all enter quickly. Once inside they all ran for their seats and strapped themselves in, ready to leave this place that had been their home and the site of their torment. But even after everyone was inside, Rahne stayed behind and went after Hank.

"Rahne! Come on!" ordered Charles.

"Not without Hank!" she yelled.

Ignoring the orders of the Black King, Rahne ran up to Hank who was by now covered in the blood and gore of his enemies and littered in stab wounds and gunshot wounds. He was bloodied and beaten and yet he was still tearing into the remains of the guards. Even the ones that were already dead, he showed no mercy towards. The dark beast inside him had taken over, but it would not reign for long.

"Hank! Hank, you have to get up!" exclaimed Rahne as she turned her friend over so he was lying back on the stairs.

"No…I can't," he said in a raspy tone.

"Yes you can! We have to get out of here!" she exclaimed.

"No…I can't leave. I don't want to."

"Damn it, Hank! Now is not the time to be stubborn!" roared Rahne as she tried to move him.

But Hank just shook her off and then grabbed her hand with his, pulling her in closer so he could look her in the eye.

"Rahne…please," he told her, "It has to end here for me. I only came here…to save you. I don't care about the others. I don't care about anybody else. I…I only wanted you to be safe."

It didn't make sense to Rahne. Why would he do this just for her? There was a feral darkness in his eyes, but there was also a touch of longing and affection. It was the kind of affection he always showed her only now it was totally unrestrained.

"You…you were the only one who really understood me," he said with blood dripping out of his mouth, "I once thought I was doomed to loneliness and desolation with only my work to confide in. But you showed me otherwise. You gave me a reason to do more. Consider this my gratitude…my last gesture of affection to you, my dear."

"Hank…" said Rahne, tears welling up in her eyes, "Please don't do this. I…I still need you so I can learn…"

"I've already taught you everything you need," he said to her, "The rest…is up to you."

He let out another round of pained growls. The bleeding was getting worse. He was not going to last much longer. Rahne now understood why he threw himself so blatently at the guards. He wanted them to kill him. He wanted this to be the end. It was noble and selfish at the same time and there wasn't anything Rahne could do about it.

Then before she could say anything else, a blaring alarm went off all throughout the manor. She looked up and gazed around, watching all the lights go out as an ominous voice blared over the intercoms.

"_Warning. Self destruct sequence has been activated. Emergency override has been shut down. Hellfire Manor is compromised. Please vacate the area in sixty seconds."_

It was most likely Sage's handiwork. Only she could manage to trip every alarm and force the manor into an emergency self-destruct. Rahne knew there was no time left. She had to go and Hank wasn't coming with her. But before she could leave, he clutched her hands firmly and delivered her one last message.

"Rahne…my dear," he said, "You have to leave."

"I…I know," she said with tears in her eyes, "Thank you, Hank. Thanks for everything."

"No…thank you, my dear," he said, starting to get short of breath, "Please…you'll need to know one last thing if you and Xavier are to succeed. You must know…that which all great men leave behind. That which all great men…leave…"

But Hank McCoy could not get out any more words. His body failed him as he slipped into unconsciousness one more time. Rahne felt his grip weaken and let out a hard sob, still holding onto him even as time ticked away.

"Rahne hurry! We have to get moving!" exclaimed Xavier.

Taking one last look at her feral friend, Rahne swallowed her pain and ran off towards the plane. It was already starting to pull away as she and Xavier were telekinetically lifted inside by Julian. Once in the hatch was sealed and they were ready to go.

"We're in! Go, Moria! Get us out of here!" said Xavier.

"Hold on," she said from the cockpit.

Taking one last look at the manor, Xavier and his pawns held on as the jet lifted with a roar and shot out into the rainy sky. And with one last burst, Scott, Jean, Piotr, Rogue, Warpath, Pietro, Logan, Mystique, Bobby, Jubilee, Kitty, Sam, Julian, Rahne, Remy, Emma, Ororo, and Xavier said goodbye to the manor. There was no telling what would happen next. The Hellfire Club was in disarray and Selene had not been punished yet. But this fight was over for now. They were off to prepare for their next move. But before they left, Xavier sent one last telepathic message.

'_Thank you Sage…thank you Hank. We'll get Selene back for this. I promise you.'_

_

* * *

_**Hellfire Manor Sub-Levels – Outside Selene's Chamber**

Looking up through the hole left by Jean, Selene was seething. She couldn't believe that fool of a man had tricked her. Not only that, he intruded just as she was about to inflict the most damage on her enemies. Now the other pawns were not only gone, but Xavier was with them. They would no doubt start plotting against her. They were certain to obstruct the next phase of her plan. All that hard work and planning was in jeopardy now, but she refused to let them stop her when she was so close. But at the moment she had more pressing concerns.

Behind her the rest of her minions emerged. Wanda was next to her along with Kurt, Alex, Tabitha, Warren, Betsy, Monet, and Roberto. The dazed and mindless Mangeto was also with them along with Lorna and Laura. Alex, Warren, and Roberto worked to keep them up. Sabretooth was also up and not happy about this sudden turn of events.

"You stupid bitch! You let them get away!" growled Sabretooth.

For that remark, Wanda shot him with a hex bolt.

"Augh!"

"Quiet animal! Do not talk to Mistress Selene like that!" she spat.

"What do we do now, Mistress?" asked Monet anxious, "We have to go after them!"

As much as Selene wanted to, the issue of the bomb made that all too difficult. Xavier knew how to make an escape and he knew how to make sure she wouldn't follow him. At some point she had to concede to his tenacity.

"No…we have no time for them," she said bitterly, "We'll have to handle them later. For now, we must get out of here before the bomb goes off!"

"But how?" asked Warren.

"Follow me! I know a way," said the Black Queen.

Selene's minions followed her closely as they ran full speed down a stretch of halls, disappearing into a special room not far from her torture chambers. They left behind what would have been their ultimate triumph. Xavier and his pawns had escaped. They were unable to finish the job. But they had to move forward with Mistress Selene's plan. It was just going to be more difficult with Xavier and the pawns involved.

Once they were gone the whole manor fell silent as the final seconds came and went. Then with a deafening bang, the manor that once housed the power and might of the Hellfire Club exploded in a massive fireball. The stakes had officially changed. Now nothing would be the same for either side. But the battle lines had been drawn. The Black King and the Black Queen were now locked in a new struggle and it was unclear as to who would come out victorious.

* * *

**Up next: With both Xavier and Selene reeling, each side moves forward with their plans.**


	13. Regrouping and Recovering

**New Blood  
Chapter 13: Regrouping and Recovering**

**AN: New chapter, same story. Please take the time to review. Send them to my email or post them on the fanfiction website. If this is to be my last story, I want it to go out strong.  
**

* * *

**Xavier Mansion – 30 Years Ago**

"Kurt…please, he's just a child! Don't do this!"

"Stay out of this, Sharon! This is between me and your boy! If you take another step so help me I'll…"

These powerful words of anger echoed through the vast halls of the Xavier mansion. Young Charles Xavier sat cowering in a closet, the angry footsteps of his step-father, Kurt Marko, drawing ever closer. His heard pounded in his chest as he hugged his knees. He closed his eyes, hoping that this was just a bad dream. It's what he always hoped. Maybe everything up until this point was a bad dream. Ever since his father, Brian Xavier, died and his mother re-married a man named Kurt Marko, his whole life had been a nightmare.

At first he thought it was a good thing. But then he started noticing a change in her. She began drinking more wine and she grew more distant. She also frequently had strange marks show up on her face and arms, as if someone had been hitting her. She often tried to conceal them, but he knew they were there. Then he started to get to know his step-father and he found out first hand where some of those marks came from. Whenever he stepped out of line, his step-father wouldn't hesitate to hit him. Sometimes he would hit him so hard he would bleed. His mother tried to stop it, but she never could. Kurt Marko was too strong and they were both too weak.

But no matter how much he wished it was all a dream, the cold hard reality set in. His step-father was a angry, greedy monster. It was only lately he found out just how much a monster he was. Over the past few years he noticed that he had an ability nobody else did. He could hear what other people were thinking and he could subtly influence their actions. At first it was scary, but he had learned to control it for the most part. But he couldn't control it enough sometimes and it got him into trouble.

Upon hearing his step-father's footsteps, he cowered. He knew he was going to beat him. It was all because of a fight he got into with his step-brother, Cain Marko. He didn't mean for it to happen. Cain had been teasing him like he always did. Then punched him and Charles couldn't control his anger. He tried to strike back, but he was too weak. Cain only beat him more. He beat him up until something inside him went off and the next thing he knew, he was using his mind to attack Cain. It put him into a world a pain, so much so that his screams were heard all over the mansion. That's how his father found out and that was why he was in such big trouble.

"Come on out of there you little shit! I know you're in there!" yelled Kurt Marko as he banged his fists against the closet door.

Charles didn't do anything. He didn't even breathe. He stayed as quiet as possible, hoping that it would all just go away. But it only got worse.

"CHARLES! I'M THROUGH PLAYING GAMES! EITHER YOU GET OUT OF THAT CLOSET OR I'LL BREAK IT DOWN AND USE IT TO BEAT YOU SENSELESS!"

Charles trembled with fear, already bracing himself for the wrath he was about to face. But before his step-father could make good on his threats, he heard the voice of his mother step in.

"Kurt stop! Stop this right now!" she said, now standing between him and the door, "I will not let you threaten my son like that!"

"Get out of my way, Sharon! I'm warning you!" threatened Kurt, "That boy of yours hurt my Cain!"

"I know he did, but please…let's not solve this with any more violence," she pleaded, "Let's just be reasonable and…"

That's when Charles heard it. It was the most sickening sound he ever heard in his life. It was a hard, forceful slap. He couldn't see it, but he could picture it perfectly. The large, imposing fist of his step-father made contact with the face of his mother. Then her body hit the floor with a hard thud. He could hear his mother sobbing. He could even sense her pain with his mind. He was so scared his telepathy was starting to act up again, just as it did when Cain was beating him up. And this time it was even worse.

"Mom…" Charles said to himself.

Outside, Kurt Marko continued his angry rage.

"Damn Sharon, I warned you!" he bellowed, "You are NOT to stand in my way like that! Ever! I am your husband and this is my son we're talking about! Cain, who your son may have brain damaged for all I know, just because he's a freak! A freak who needs to be taught a lesson! And if you won't do it then I will!"

"Kurt…please," Sharon Xavier cried.

"You're both weak!" he went on as he loomed over her, "You're weak and I'm strong! And you will not defy me, understand? And if you keep defending that little punk of yours, then maybe I need to teach you a lesson too!"

When Charles heard that he could no longer stay hidden like this. His step-father was going to hit his mother again and this time it was going to be even worse. He knew it. A part of him just wanted to stay in this closet and shut it all out. But another part of him longed to break out and fight back. He was torn, driven by anger and fear. It tore at him from within and his head throbbed the longer he waited. Something inside him was trying to get out. He fought it as best he could. Then in a fateful moment, Charles Xavier made a decision.

Kurt Marko rose his hand up and prepared to strike Sharon Xavier as hard as he could. But before he was able to, the closet door shot open and young Charles Xavier came rushing out.

"STOP!!!" he yelled at the top of his lungs.

Then using the same psychic power he used to accidently attack Cain, he unleashed an attack onto the mind of his hated step-father. Only this time it was no accident.

"AHHHHHHHHHHHHH!" Kurt Marko exclaimed.

His face contorted in a twisted display of pain and suffering. The attack was intense, focused, and very powerful. Charles Xavier's young mind could not comprehend the kind of damage he was inflicting upon this man. He was ripping at every part of his mind, demolishing it and everything that held it together. For a good ten seconds the powerful, imposing man who could beat him and his mother so easily, screamed in agony. At one point blood started seeping out of his ears and nose. Then in an instant, he went silent. His eyes rolled into the back of his head and he fell limply to the floor.

It was over now. Everything was quiet. There was no more fear, yelling, or anger. There was just Charles Xavier standing over the body of his step-father while his mother, still reeling from the blow she took earlier, slowly got up and took in what just happened. For young Charles it was a traumatic moment. He wasn't sure if he killed his step-father. He didn't meant to, but he was so full of anger and hate that he couldn't help it. Now he was scared again. But before he could crawl back into the closet and cower, his mother came over to him and took him in her loving arms.

"I…I…I don't know what happened," he sobbed, "I…I didn't meant to…to…"

But Sharon Xavier just hugged him tighter and lovingly kissed his forehead.

"It's okay, Charles sweetie. It's okay."

"But I…I might have killed him! My powers they…"

But Sharon didn't let him finish. She carefully caressed his young face and looked him in the eye with love and intent.

"You did the right thing, Charles. You stopped him from hurting either of us."

"But…"

"Don't worry about it, sweetie. Don't worry…mommy's here. Mommy will take care of this. Just remember that you did the right thing. It may seem wrong now, but trust me…it was right. You did the right thing."

Those words kept echoing in young Charles Xavier's mind as he hugged his mother tightly and sobbed. Only this time, they weren't sobs of weakness. They were sobs of relief. He saved his mother from being beaten. He saved himself from being beaten. Now Kurt Marko would never beat them again. He would never hurt anyone again. What he did was so wrong in some ways, but it was so right and others. But to him and his mother, it was right. To everybody else this man hurt, it was right.

All his life he had been weak, unable to stop his step-father or step-brother from beating him. He held back from using his powers and he wouldn't fight back when someone pushed him. But from that moment on Charles Xavier made a solemn promise to himself and to his mother. He would never allow himself to be that weak again. From this day forward, he would be strong. He would fight back. Never again would he give into fear. Charles Xavier would now walk a new path in life. And there was no turning back.

* * *

**Hellfire Jet – Present Day**

"Charles? Charles, are you awake?"

"Hnn…what?" grumbled a tired Charles Xavier.

The Black King awoke to find himself sitting in the cockpit of the Hellfire jet. Next to him was Moria, who was flying the plane. She looked worried. She always had a talent for sensing when something was wrong with him. And it wasn't the first time she woke him up from such a dream.

"Are ye okay, Charles?" she asked him, "You were mumbling in your sleep."

"It was nothing," he assured her, "Just a dream, that's all. Where are we?"

"We just passed over the Dominican Republic," she said, "We should be there in about a half hour."

"Just out of curiosity, where exactly is we headin' to?" asked Remy, who was sitting behind Xavier and Moria in the cockpit.

"Someplace secluded and completely off the grid from Selene and the rest of the world for that matter," Xavier answered, "It's a small island I purchased years ago for just such an occasion. I made sure there are no maps, records, or even images of it."

"Sounds like a nice getaway," said the Cajun.

"It's no vacation, I assure you," said Xavier in a serious tone, "We are only going there to rest and regroup. I'm not so naïve to think that Selene didn't survive that explosion. I'm certain she did. And if she's still out there we must find her and take her down."

"But how? With the manor gone where will she go? And what will she do?" asked Ororo, who was sitting next to Remy.

"I don't know, but we must not stop until she is punished for her crimes. Black Queen or not, nobody escapes justice from the Hellfire Club."

His words were stern and strong. Charles Xavier was a reasonable man for the most part, but when people crossed him he showed no mercy. Ororo knew that better than most people and so did Remy. But they also understood that Selene was a special case. She would not go down easily and making her answer to her crimes posed a very unique set of daunting challenges.

But it was too late to think about that now. Everybody was too tired and many were still scarred from what Selene and her minions did to them. The women were still distant, still feeling that sick sense of violation from being raped so many times. The men were also bitter at the humiliation and pain inflicted on them by Selene and her female minions. But aside from the lingering scars of the ordeal, there was also a sense of loss.

One of the hardest issues they had faced since their escape was the revelation that Sage sacrificed herself to help them escape. Xavier spoke solemnly when he said this and nobody knew what to say. Sage had always been a bit of a loner, but she was someone they all respected and admired. She always stayed strong and composed in the face of a challenge. She wasn't the most social person in the world, but she could always be counted on to say the right thing. And for some who were even closer to her, like James Poundstar, it was especially difficult.

"Damn it Sage…why did you have to do it?" said the Apache warrior as he gazed out the window.

"She's not going to answer, you know," said Deadpool, who was peering over the seat in front of him, "Believe me, I've tried. She'll never answer another booty call again."

"Was I talking to you?" said Warpath angrily.

"Is that a trick question because I saw how ugly it got in that movie, Pulp Fiction? You ever see that flick?"

Normally Warpath would have yelled at the mouthy merc for that remark, but he was too tired, sore, and distraught to care. And that caught Wade off guard.

"Hey, aren't you gonna yell at me or something? Usually by now you're grabbing me by the throat and choking me until I say uncle!"

"Sorry, but I'm not in the mood," he muttered, "You see, where I come from, when someone dies in battle it's supposed to be this big, noble affair that's to be celebrated and not mourned. But whenever it happens to the people I'm close to it's never worth celebrating."

"Must have some pretty bad karma going for you," commented Wade, "Maybe you accidently ran over a cow with truck in your past life?"

"It's not karma. It's just bad luck. First my brother dies needlessly and now Sage dies because Selene betrayed us all…it's just wrong. It's all wrong. You can't understand that because you're a nutcase, but to me she wasn't just a beautiful woman you could crack jokes about. She was my friend."

Deadpool didn't make a comment at first. As messed up as he was, he did have a sense of connection with people. And Sage was one of them. She was the only one who could really stand his jokes and not get too upset about it. She was also great in bed too. But beyond that, she was more than just a computer genius who looked great in a thong. Even to him she was special.

"Hey, I feel you Chief," he said, giving Warpath a friendly punch in the shoulder, "I'll miss her too. That babe was one of a kind. And I know I'm a few chips shy of a motherboard, but even I know gal's like Sage are a special breed. I'll miss her as much as you."

"I sincerely doubt that," said the Apache warrior.

"Doubt all you want, but it's true. I liked that girl. This place won't be the same without her. She always had a way about herself. I'll miss how she could turn me on and confuse the hell out of me at the same time."

James looked at the offbeat mercenary who got on so many people's nerves strangely. Then for the first time for either one of them, he actually laughed at his remark. He wasn't sure why, but it felt appropriate. He and Sage didn't start out well. For a long time he resented her for working for SHIELD, the organization that killed his brother. But he came to see she was more than what she did in the past. It was going to be hard going on without her. But he was going to make sure that Sage's sacrifice wasn't in vain.

James and Deadpool weren't the only ones mourning the loss of somebody close to them. Rahne hadn't said a word since she got on the plain. The memory of Hank holding her hand and saying goodbye to her still hung strong. She couldn't believe he resorted to such extremes for her. He completely warped his body and mind just so he could be strong enough to save her. It showed to her just how much he cared for her. It was strange in a ways because he never seemed to care for anybody. Learning from Sinister left him a cold, desolate man. But she seemed to reach him and he reached her. And losing him was difficult to handle.

"Rahne? Rahne, you still with us?" asked Sam, who was sitting next to her, "You haven't said a word since we took off?"

"Sorry, I just don't feel like talking," she said in a low tone.

Sam was silent for a moment. Then he remembered how she stayed behind to go after Hank when nobody else seemed to give it a second thought.

"Is it about Hank?" he asked her.

Rahne held back a sob as her expression remained stern and distant.

"You wouldn't understand," she said bitterly, "Nobody here understands. To you, Hank was nothing but a creepy recluse who hung around Sinister too much. To you, he was just a doctor, a surgeon, and the occasional butt of a joke. But to me he was a lot more than that. He gave me something I couldn't get anywhere else from anyone else."

"And what was that?" asked Sam curiously.

"Perspective," she answered, "He taught me to look at my powers in a different way. You'll never understand this because they never went haywire on you like mine did. And for a while I thought I was going crazy because of it. But Hank kept me grounded. He taught me to embrace what I was after I spent a lifetime just trying to suppress it. He really helped me and now he's gone."

Rahne swallowed another sob. Sam didn't say a word because in reality he really didn't understand. His powers were not like hers. He had no idea what it was like to have an animal inside wrestling with his human side. He remembered how distant Rahne was at first when she arrived, but he saw how well she adapted. He had no idea Hank was such a big part of it and losing him like this must have been really devastating.

But even if he couldn't understand, he did his best to console her. He reached over and took her hand and gave it a squeeze. It wasn't the most comforting gesture, but it gave her something to hang onto.

"Ah'm sorry," he told her.

"Don't be," she told him in a low tone, "I'll have plenty of time to work out my grief when I start clawing at Selene. Hank sacrificed himself so I could live. And I won't let his sacrifice be in vain."

Rahne was resolute. She was saddened by Hank's death, but her anger outweighed her sorrow. He cared for her enough to break rank from Sinister and save her. The least she could do was finish the job. Hopefully she and the rest of her fellow pawns would have their chance soon.

But Rahne wasn't the only one with vengeance on her mind. While her loss was painful and emotional, others were dealing with losses of a different kind. Pietro and Julian had been tortured like all the others, but unlike the others Selene took it a step further. She didn't just torture them physically, she tortured them emotionally by taking something away from them. Or more accurately, they took someone from them.

Pietro had already dealt with it before. Selene corrupted Wanda long ago. For years they grew more distant with Wanda become more dark and reserved. Then Lorna came along and he had a second chance. And for the most part, he made good on it. He and Lorna got close. He came to see her as a real sister who he could relate to. But then Selene took her away from him, using Alex of all people to bring her under her spell. Now she was under her control. He could care less about what she did to Wanda and his father, but he wasn't about to make the same mistake with Lorna.

Julian suffered the same pain from what they did to Laura. Ever since he joined, Laura had been special to him. She was so different from the other girls. She carried herself in a way that intimidated most men, but intrigued him. And lately he thought they were getting closer than that. He was even considering that maybe they could be more than just friends and frequent lovers. But then Selene had to use her for her own sick means. The image of her ordering Laura around as if she were a machine filled him with great rage. But he wasn't going to let it stand. He was going to save her.

"Hey Pietro, can I ask you something?" said Julian who was sitting next to him near the back of the plane.

"What is it?" he said flatly as he gazed bitterly out the window.

"It's…about Wanda. I know it's a sore subject for you and all, but I have to know…did you ever try and break her free from Selene's control?"

Pietro turned to the young mutant and stared at him with a bitter look.

"Kid, I didn't even know how far Selene's control over her was until just recently."

"But you still knew, right?"

"Of course I knew!" the speedster exclaimed, "But I didn't think it was this bad! Every time I talked to Wanda about it she would put on this sincere look and tell me it wasn't as bad as I thought! I know it sounds stupid now, but I believed her! Or maybe I just wanted to believe her, but still!"

Julian was silent for a moment. He had a feeling he would evoke a response like this by mentioning Wanda, but he had no idea it would be this bad. He probably should have expected as such.

"I'm just asking because I want to know if it's possible to break Laura free from her control."

Pietro took some deep breaths to calm himself down. He remembered that Julian was in a similar situation. Someone he cared about was under Selene's control as well. For that, he tried not to take his frustration out on him.

"I wish I could tell you it is, but I honestly don't know," he said in a calmer tone, "I'm hoping there is. But in my experience the longer Selene controls someone the harder they are to break from that control."

"But Laura and Lorna haven't been under her control for very long. Does that mean there's still a chance?" asked Julian.

"I told you. I don't know," he said bitterly, "We can only hope they're strong enough to resist before Selene totally breaks them."

"Well that isn't a problem with Laura. She's plenty strong enough. Believe me I know," said Julian confidently.

"Even so, we all saw what Selene's capable of. All the strength in the world may not be enough to resist her. We just have to hope we can get to them soon. Because the longer they're with her the harder it's going to be."

It didn't sound too promising. Pietro had been down this road before with Wanda and while the situation may be different, the factors were the same. Selene was the one pulling the strings. She was the one they had to overcome if they were to get Laura and Lorna back. It wasn't going to be easy. They both experienced first hand how her control over people could change them. But they both refused to let her get away with this one.

"I'm not going to give up on her," said Julian intently.

"Neither will I," said Pietro.

Julian and Pietro fell silent as they continued to muse over their loved ones. The idea of Laura and Lorna being under Selene's control was too difficult to bear. They just had to hope their love for them was enough to overcome Selene's unlimited capacity for darkness.

For others, love was the only thing keeping them going after such a painful and traumatic ordeal. Some still hadn't recovered from the beating, the torture, and the rape Selene had inflicted. For Kitty Pryde it was especially difficult. Ever since she joined the Hellfire Club she worked tirelessly to get stronger so she wouldn't be the victim anymore. She wanted to be every bit as tough as Logan or Warpath or Piotr despite her size and stature. And she thought she made progress until Selene brought her back down to the role of victim. It was a cold, dark feeling, being raped and humiliated as if she were a toy for Selene's minions. She tried to be strong, but she couldn't stop it from affecting her.

Piotr, who was sitting next to her, his arms protectively around her the whole time, sensed this. He had been with Kitty since she arrived. He always felt she had a special strength to her. That strength had been brought out and expanded by the Hellfire Club. Then Selene crushed it. It was hard for him too given the humiliation he endured, but he had the strength of his powers to fall back on. Kitty didn't have that and it was difficult for her.

"Are you going to be okay, Katya?" he asked her.

"I don't know," she sighed, "All those things Selene and her men did to me…all the pain, rape, and humiliation…it still hurts."

"I know. It hurts all of us," he said, holding her closer, "We were all victims."

"But you all fought back. I couldn't," she said, holding back a sob, "I didn't have strength, or firepower, or brain power to just go up and take my anger out on her. I had to stay back and play the role of the defenseless pretty girl. That was a role I swore I would never play again and yet here I am."

She clung to him harder, trying not to cry but she couldn't help it. Piotr hated seeing her like this so he just kept holding her. He fought back a sob of his own, but he had to be strong for her.

"You're still as strong as you were before, Katya," he told her, "You wouldn't still be here if you weren't."

"But I'm still not strong enough!" she lamented, "I want to get back at that bitch just as much as everybody else! But even if we had the chance, how can I hope to match up? I'm just…"

But Piotr stopped her before she could go any further.

"You're tired, sore, and distraught. Even the strongest are prone to our limits. But that's exactly what sets us apart from the likes of Selene."

He then took her hand in his and held it closely.

"Katya, you're the strongest person I know. You're angry like the rest of us. But you can't let that anger lead you to despair. Instead, let that anger be your focus. We will make Selene pay. And you will show her your true strength. You just can't give in."

His grip on her was comforting. It had always been a source of her strength since her arrival. And now more than ever she drew from it. Kitty Pryde had crossed many lines since she joined the Hellfire Club, but this was one she refused to cross. Giving into despair was the same as giving into Selene. And she refused to let that happen.

"I won't," she said in a stronger tone, "It's just hard, you know?"

"I understand," said Piotr, managing a smile, "But I'll help you if you help me."

"Isn't that how it always works with us?" said Kitty, smiling back.

"It is. So why should it change for grave situations like this?"

"It shouldn't," she said.

Then in a show of renewed strength, Kitty leaned in and kissed Piotr on the cheek. It was a simple gesture, not full of the unrestrained passion they were all so used to. But it carried with it all the meaning that mattered for dark times like this. They shared another warm smile and clung to each other, drawing strength as they so often had. Selene took a lot from them and would have taken a lot more had they not be rescued. But the one thing she didn't take was the bond they shared. And once they recovered from this maybe they could finally open up about it.

And they weren't the only ones with an unspoken bond that they drew strength from. In the back of the plain where there were first aid kits and medical supplies, Logan and Rogue were tending to Mystique's wounds. Logan was doing most of the tending, having been in battle many times before and dealt with any number of wounds. Rogue was there for emotional support. Both she and her mother were reeling, having suffered at the hands of Selene. But that didn't affect them nearly as much as what happened with Kurt. Even after all the attempts they made to get through to him, he gave into the darkness. He didn't show an ounce of emotion even as he helped torment them. Even for Mystique, who prided herself on concealing her emotions, couldn't escape the pain she felt. It was even worse than her stab wound.

"Lay still, mama. He's almost done," said Rogue as she hovered over her.

"Whatever," she said indifferently, "I've had worse wounds than this."

"Ah'm sure ya have, but even shape shifters need to get stitched up after a mess like the one we just got out of."

"You call that shit a mess?" grunted Logan as he cleaned the wound, "More like a certified, out of control, over the top clusterfuck if you ask me."

"Hey, watch the choice of words, Logan! It's too soon to start makin' snide remarks like that!" scorned Rogue.

"It wasn't a remark," muttered Logan, "It's just the cold hard truth."

"Damn it, Logan! Don't make meh slap you at full strength!"

"Take it easy, Rogue. Let's not start another fight," said Mystique in a flat tone, "We're all messed up from this. No need to make it worse."

Rogue fell silent, but still shot Logan a dirty look. She and her mother had just been raped and tortured, sometimes at the hands of her own foster brother, and she wasn't taking it lightly. She still felt sore, violated, and bitter. She had so much anger boiling inside her she just wanted to rip into anything that remotely set her off. But looking down at her mother, who remained collected since the escape, she held back.

For Mystique it was equally difficult, suffering at the hands of Selene and her own son. Being assaulted and raped by her ex wasn't pleasant either. But as bitter and angry as she was, she hid it behind her usual veil of deception. She felt like a failure as a mother by letting her son get pulled into Selene's influence. But at the same time she felt as though there was something off about Kurt as he participated in Selene's torture. Unlike the rest of her minions, he didn't seem to enjoy it and he didn't taunt others as he did it. He seemed lost in his own world, as if his mind was somewhere else. Maybe Selene didn't have complete control over him. It may have been wishful thinking on her part, but her maternal instincts were strong on this matter. And she still remembered what Kurt told her every time they talked about this. He said he had faith they would stop him when they had to. She didn't do it this time, but she would have another chance.

"Okay Raven, I'm done," said Logan as he put the first aid kit away, "A few days and your healing should do the rest. It might still leave a scar though."

"Good. It'll remind me to be extra violent when I get my hands on Selene," she said angrily, "I'll make sure she suffers for manipulating my son!"

"It's a little late for that, mama," said Rogue in a morose tone, "Ah think Kurt's fallen too far at this point. Takin' out Selene ain't gonna change what he's become."

"I'm not so sure about that, Rogue," said the shape shifter, "Call me an optimist, but I don't think we've completely lost Kurt. He may be with Selene, but I don't think her hold on him is as strong as it looks."

"You sure that ain't the pain killers talking?" said Rogue.

"Call it parental instinct or wishful thinking, but I refuse to believe I've lost my son completely," said Mystique, "I raised him to be stronger than that. He may not be able to break Selene's grip, but he will resist. I know he will. And we still have a promise to keep for him. You made it too so don't forget it."

Rogue fell silent, remembering vividly the promise her mother was referring to. She had been there with her when she made it to Kurt, swearing to him that they would stop him when the time came. He trusted them to do so even though he knew he had already fallen too far. She still resented him for what he did to her, but he was still her brother. She wasn't about to break his trust now.

"Fahne," she sighed, "Ah won't forget."

Rogue then got up and sat down in a nearby seat, leaving Logan to help Mystique up. But as he did she felt his eyes on him. She knew there was an issue they hadn't talked about yet, one that was fairly pressing considering how close they had been getting lately. Mystique hoped to avoid it completely, but after what happened that was no longer possible. She half expected Logan to yell at her in disgust for hooking up with his arch enemy, but he did no such thing. He just kept staring at her with that penetrating look of his that always seemed to affect her so much.

"So…you and Sabretooth, huh?" he said in a gruff tone.

"Yeah, I know," sighed Mystique.

"So it was true. You two did have a fling."

"For a while, yes. But it was nothing. He was more into it than I ever was. And as you probably surmised by now, he still clings to it."

Logan's expression contorted with anger. That thought of her and Sabretooth together made him want to wretch. He could tell it was a difficult subject for Raven. And he could also tell there were details to it she hadn't revealed.

"Look, I know you probably hate me for it, but I'd rather not talk about it now," said the shape shifter, "I've got enough on my mind so why don't you go coddle Jean or something."

Then to her surprise, Logan took her hand and helped her up into a seat. Then she saw his anger wane a bit as he stayed close to her.

"I don't hate you, Raven," he said, "I just…need some time to digest this shit. We all do. And if it's all the same to you I'd like to stick around. You should know by now you can't get rid of me that easily."

As bitter and distraught as Mystique was, she still managed a smile. She then found herself leaning into his burly warmth, resting her sore shoulder and letting her distressed mind ease. Logan always had a strange effect on her. Even after all this she still couldn't understand it. But she liked it and it meant more to her now than ever. And she could tell it meant something to Logan as well. He wouldn't be staying if it didn't. Maybe they did have something special after all.

"Thank you, Logan," she said to him.

"Anytime darlin'."

While Logan and Mystique settled in, Scott and Jean were doing the same as they sat together near the front of the plane. Since they got on board, Jean was out of it. She was so tired from the torture and the exertion she put on herself while using her Phoenix powers she almost passed out. But Scott was there, remaining by her side and supporting her as he always had.

Scott still couldn't believe how much power she wielded when she tapped the Phoenix. He always knew she had a special aura to her. Lately as he watched her practice her magic and spells, he picked up on it. But he had no idea she was capable of so much power. But it was that power that saved them all. She was the one that broke Selene's spell. She was the one that actually beat her back so they could escape. It all seemed to come together as she struggled and endured the rape and torment Selene inflicted on them. He was still sickened by it, especially some of the things Alex did. But for now he just clung to his lover.

"Mmm…Scott?" she said in a tired tone.

"Yes Jean?" he asked softly.

"All that power I wielded…it was just like the dream I had when I was little," she mused, "Only this felt like so much more. I was tapping into a power nobody had tapped in ages. It was…overwhelming. But after everything Selene put me through I just couldn't hold back."

"Yeah, I know. And I don't blame you," he said in a soft tone, "But I think that shows that maybe this power was meant for you. And because of it you saved us."

Jean looked up at him with her tired eyes and smiled warmly.

"If only I could have tapped it sooner. Maybe I could have stopped Selene. It was just so intense I could barely keep it together."

"Try not to think of it that way," he said to her, "What's done is done. Just focus on using this new power to overcome the challenges ahead. We are going to have to face Selene again. You know that as well as anybody. When that time comes we'll all be ready and so will you. And with this power I'm sure you'll give Selene hell."

His words were comforting and earned him a warm smile. And even though she was very tired, she was able to lean in and give him a soft kiss. Scott Summers had been there for her since the beginning. They came of age together in the Hellfire Club and shared a bond unlike any other. He was the one who first help her unlock her mystical potential. And in a ways he was the one that helped her tap the power of the Phoenix. Even through Selene's torture, their love remained a source of strength and they would need that strength when the time came to face her again.

"I love you," she told him softly.

"I love you too."

As Jean rested on Scott's shoulder, Emma Frost watched with mixed emotions from across the isle. She hadn't made eye contact with Scott and Jean since she got on. They hadn't made eye contact with her either. And she couldn't blame them. She really had screwed up on this one. She let her anger and resentment cloud her judgment and she ended up helping Selene in the process. She was no different than the other pawns she used only she didn't have to use magic to force her. Emma Frost was never one for guilt, but this was hard to avoid.

Even though Scott's rejection hurt, it was nothing compared to this. Everyone was looking at her as if she were a traitor. Even Charles Xavier, who knew the full story, looked at her with disapproval. And for all the pain she endured, one thing still hung out. She still felt a special connection with Scott Summers. Even if it wasn't the love she wanted, he had been the only real friend she had that she could relate to. And now she may have lost him forever. She didn't care if everybody else hated her, but she didn't want to lose Scott.

'_I know you're watching me, Emma. I can feel your eyes on me.'_

Emma shifted uncomfortably. She hoped to avoid this, but Scott knew too her well. And she couldn't avoid him forever.

'_Sorry if I'm ruining your little moment. But we do need to talk about this sooner or later.'_

'_What's there to talk about? You betrayed us all and for what? Because I rejected you for trying to mind fuck me?'_

'_You don't need to remind me of what happened, darling. I was there too. But I was angry and heartbroken. I was so intent on making you and Jean pay for the pain you caused me I didn't stop and think about what I was doing.'_

'_Obviously you didn't. But you sure did make me and Jean suffer. So I guess you succeeded.'_

His snide, cynical tone was clear even in his thoughts. But Emma kept her composure.

'_Scott, you know me better than that. You know me better than almost anyone. So will you please just try and look past your obvious anger for a moment and listen to me when I say I never meant for this to happen. You know I would never willingly help Selene. I hate that woman as much as you do.'_

'_But not enough to betray everybody like this?'_

'_Damn it, Scott! I told you I didn't know! I swear on everything holy that I had no idea what was going to happen! I know you and Jean hate me now, but you were still my friend at one point! You still know me well enough to understand when I'm telling the truth! So please stop adding to it by making me feel worse!'_

Emma fell silent as a wave of remorse come over her. And for the first time in a long time she actually felt tears in her eyes. She hated crying because it made her feel weak. But for a moment like this where she was begging for the forgiveness of the only person who ever reached out to her, she let them flow.

'_I know I screwed up. And I know I'll be punished for it later. I'm willing to take whatever comes my way. But please Scott, you're one of the few people in my life I've ever been able to relate to. I don't care if you never forgive me, but at least believe me when I say that I am truly, honestly, and unequivocally sorry.'_

Scott didn't respond to that. He just looked over at her, making eye contact for the first time. He noticed traces of tears in her eyes, which for Emma was very rare. As much as he wanted to hate her for what she did, he couldn't escape the genuine regret he saw in her eyes. And he also couldn't escape that this woman had once been a friend. It was too early to work this out now. But he wasn't going to push her away.

'_I believe you, Emma. But don't think that's all there is to it. We'll talk about this more later.'_

It wasn't the most sincere response, but it was the best she could have hoped for under the circumstances. Her eyes now locked on Scott, she nodded and wiped away some of her tears. Then she turned back to the window, leaving Scott and Jean alone for now. She still had a long way to go if she was to ever make up for what she did. And there was little doubt she would suffer consequences for betraying the Hellfire Club. But she would take them as they came. For now all she could do was not make it worse and hope that for all her misdeeds, she might still be able to redeem herself.

In the seats just in front of Emma some of the other pawns were too restless to just sleep through the ride. Bobby, Jubilee, Sam, and Danielle all sat in a corner together, recounting on the morbid events that had just transpired. For Bobby it was just something to distract himself from the pain he was still in. And for Jubilee it distracted her from the sick feeling she still had in the pit of her stomach as a result of what she endured. But beyond the difficulty of coping with this, there was also a sense of relief and curiosity over Danielle, who they all thought was dead.

"So that fight we saw back at the pier where you and Sage were killed was all an illusion?" Jubilee surmised.

"Yes," said Danielle, "It was actually an illusion from before it even began."

"Really? So you really weren't there at all?" said Bobby, finding it hard to wrap his head around.

"Nope, I was already in a secure location with Lord Xavier, creating all the illusions I had to create so that Selene and her minions would think we were dead. It was all part of an elaborate backup plan he put together in case he wasn't able to contain Selene."

"Well I think it's safe to say it worked," said Bobby.

"I guess so," said Danielle, "I just wished it didn't come to this."

"Yeah…tell me about it," said Jubilee, still feeling a bit sick from it all.

It was a remarkable ploy. Danielle created illusions so real they didn't even know they were in their midst. They had powerful telepaths working with them too like Emma and Jean and even they didn't notice. Most impressive of all, it totally fooled Selene. And that's why they were still alive and not being mutilated at this moment.

"So I guess that means we all owe you big time," said Bobby, "If not for your illusions we would all have suffered a fate worse than death."

"Yeah, I'll bet Lord Xavier will make you queen or something," said Jubilee.

"Oh he promised to generously reward me," she said with a smile, "But it wasn't all me. If he hadn't given me some special training I never would have been able to create illusions like that. It took a lot of work to create a ruse this elaborate. I can't even begin to describe how hard it was, but I'd say it's somewhere between running three marathons back to back while trying to put together a million piece jigsaw puzzle at the same time."

"Damn," said Bobby with an impressed look, "Well difficulty aside you really came through for us. And you once thought you had the weakest powers in the Hellfire Club."

"Like Lord Xavier says, it's not just about having power. It's knowing how to use it," said Danielle with a confident grin.

Bobby and Jubilee smiled back, but it was only a halfhearted smile. They were happy for Danielle. They remembered how uncertain she had been early on. She always worried she wasn't powerful enough, but after this she proved beyond all doubt she had power worthy of the Inner Circle. But at the same time that power hadn't been enough to prevent Selene from making them suffer. The wounds they felt, both physically and emotionally, still lingered. Danielle saw it in their eyes and she couldn't understand because she didn't have to go through it. It left her feeling a little distant from her friends.

"Look, I know it probably doesn't mean much now, but I'm sorry you had to go through all that," she said, "I can't imagine how terrible it must have been."

"Don't be sorry, Danielle. It's not your fault," said Bobby in a low tone, "It's all because of Selene. She was the one who tortured us."

"And she worked us over good. She raped us, abused us, and just plain toyed with us while enjoying every minute of it," said Jubilee, still sounding sick, "I've never felt so dirty and desecrated my whole life. And I used to be a runaway."

"Try not to think too much about it, Jubes. It's over now," said Danielle, trying to support her fellow pawn.

"That's just it, Danielle. We can't stop thinking about it," said Bobby in a bitter tone, "What she did to us wasn't just about cruelty or domination or anything we've ever learned. She just wanted to see us suffer before she killed us. And even if we do make her pay for what she did, it doesn't erase what happened. It's going to linger with us for a long time."

Danielle fell silent. In many ways she was the lucky one. She would be spared the memories of torment and abuse while Bobby, Jubilee, and the others would have to live with it for the rest of their lives. They had done many morally questionable things since they joined the Hellfire Club, but what Selene did to them crossed even those lines. They were all damaged and distraught by it. And it would continue to linger for a good long while.

Up in the cockpit, Charles Xavier picked up on this and the many other conversations and thoughts that the others were having. He sensed in all of them a burning anger for Selene and a powerful desire to make her suffer for her crimes. But at the same time he also sensed the effects of trauma and violation. It left them all scarred in many ways. Their spirits had been weakened and so had their resolve. Now they might not be so ready to resort to such extremes when it was necessary. And he couldn't have that in his pawns.

"Take us down, Moria. I'll be right back," said the Black King as he got out of his seat.

"Why? Is something wrong, Charles?" she asked.

"No, I just have to take care of something."

Once out of his seat he walked into main area of the plane where everyone was sitting. His presence drew everyone's attention and those that had nodded off quickly woke up. The Black King had a serious and stern expression on his face, which was not unusual for him but in this situation it carried a different meaning.

"Before we land, there's something I have to say to you all," he began, "I know many of you are tired, restless, angry, and some of you may even be in significant pain. But I need you all to focus on me for a minute. Before we go any further, you have to hear this."

All eyes were on Xavier now as they watched him walk up and down the aisles, looking his young pawns in the eye.

"I am not going to stand here and tell you I understand what you're going through. I don't. I'm not going to fane compassion and let you all cry on my shoulder. You should all know by now that compassion for me is limited. But I don't want to see any tears to begin with and I don't want to see any self-loathing or doubt. Selene raped, tortured, and brutalized you. And as insensitive as this may sound, you need to get over it. You are stronger than that. You're all still products of the Inner Circle. If you can't handle what you've done or what's been done to you then you might as well throw yourselves out of this plane right now because there's no room in this organization for weakness."

The faces of the pawns hardened, even among those who were struggling more than others. Xavier looked around, seeing more strength emerge as a result of his words. But he wasn't done yet.

"For most people, enduring this kind of torture traumatizes them. It makes fills them with fear, uncertainty, and self-doubt. But we'll have none of that here. What you just endured will not make you weaker. It's only going to make you stronger. You're going to take these painful feelings you experienced and you're going to turn them into focus. And with that focus you'll not only be able to oppose Selene, but you'll become stronger. You'll become more than just pawns. And I know you'll all do this because this is what true Hellfire resolve is all about. This is what you've been trained and conditioned for since day one. Now it's coming together."

Many of the pawns exchanged glances. Even with all the pain and suffering that lingered from Selene's torture, they were reminded of everything else they had done throughout their development at the Hellfire Club. They remembered all the enemies they took down, all the self-indulgence they enjoyed, and all the power they wielded. They remembered how they responded to challenges and carried them out with the resolve that made them so strong. And they weren't about to let everything they accomplished be tainted by Selene.

Xavier's stern expression shifted and he smiled at his tired pawns. They were all special in their own right. He saw in them from the beginning the potential to become more than who they were. And the Hellfire Club did a lot to help them develop. They just needed to be reminded of that strength that helped them through this unforgiving organization. They were going to need it if they were stand against Selene and her minions. They were going to strike back at her and make her pay for her crimes. It was only a matter of time.

"Thank you," he said to all of them, "We'll be landing shortly at our destination. The island you're about to land on is a secret island I commissioned for an emergency such as this. It has on it a large estate, complete with medical quarters, food, and sufficient boarding for everybody. Once we land, I want you all to get checked up with Moria in the infirmary. After that please get some rest. You're going to need it for what's to come."

* * *

**Secret Hanger**

Charles Xavier and his pathetic followers left Selene in quite a predicament. They took off in a jet while she and her minions lingered in a building that was set to explode. It was bad enough that man barged in just as she was about to begin tormenting her victims, but then he had to pull a stunt like this. As if her hate for him wasn't already vast enough, she had even more reason to make him suffer. But that would have to wait.

Like Sebastian Shaw before her, Selene also had a special escape route that only she knew of. It was located not far from her torture chambers. There inside a hallowed out section of wall was a special mystical relic that activated only when she commanded it to. It was a crystal sphere with elaborate symbols shaped inside it. And when activated, this relic cast a special transport spell that encased her and whoever she designated in a bright aura of light. From there they were transported to anywhere within a hundred mile radius.

She managed to cast the transport spell just as the manor exploded. She left many of her elite masked guard behind to perish, but she still had her minions, including the mind controlled Lorna, Magneto, and Laura, and she still had the resources she needed to carry out the next phase of her plan. It was going to be a bit more difficult now that Xavier was involved, but it wasn't going to stop her, especially not when she was so close.

She along with Wanda, Alex, Tabitha, Kurt, Warren, Betsy, Monet, Magneto, Roberto, Sabretooth, Laura, Lorna appeared in a private hanger located in the Kingpin's former base of operations. It has since been turned into a hub for X-Industrial, but Selene pulled a few strings to get this area set up for just this occasion.

"Damn, what the hell was that?!" exclaimed Sabretooth, having never experienced magic like that before.

"Oh pick your jaw up off the floor. It's a simple transport spell," said Wanda, "I do this sort of thing in my sleep."

Sabretooth growled at the young woman's attitude. But unlike the other pawns, he wasn't nearly as enthused.

"So I take it this means Logan and the other runts are gone," he growled.

"That seems to be the case," said Warren calmly, "I doubt they stuck around for the fireworks."

"But I wasn't done with them!" exclaimed Sabretooth, "I had Logan in my hands and I was going to rip his flesh off bit by bit! And now you're telling me he's gone?! You pricks are worthless! I would have been better off…"

But Selene wasn't having any more of Sabretooth's attitude. She turned around, grabbed him by the shirt collar, and with burning rage in her eyes she stared him down.

"Watch your tongue, Sabretooth! I'm just as fed up as you with this! I know you wanted your time with Logan, but Xavier pulled a fast one! He slipped away and so did Logan! Deal with it! And if you want another shot at him you'll shut up and do exactly as I say!"

"Oh yeah? What makes you think I can't just walk away and track him down myself?" said Sabretooth, not intimidated even by Selene's harsh words.

"How about this?"

Selene gripped him harder. Then her eyes started glowing and with seething hatred and burning mystical energy. The next thing Sabretooth knew, his life energy was being drained out of him.

"Auugggghhhhhh!" he roared.

"I'll say this only one more time, vermin! You either obey me and assist with my plans or I will suck every last drop of life out of you until you're just a pile of dust! Then see how well you can track your arch nemesis! Is that clear?!"

"Ahhhhhh it's clear! It's clear!" exclaimed Sabretooth through the pain.

Then with one last show of strength, the Black Queen casually tossed the feral mutant aside as if he were as light as feather. Sabretooth growled in an angry fury, still reeling from the pain he just suffered. While normally he wouldn't hesitate to tear into anybody who did something like that to him, this Selene woman was a special case. She was too powerful and even he wasn't foolish enough to push her further.

"Word of advice, Sabey. Don't push Mistress Selene," said Tabitha with a taunting grin, "She doesn't take kindly to insults."

"Blow me, bitch," grumbled Sabretooth as he picked himself up.

Tabitha and some of the others got a good laugh at seeing Sabretooth brought down to size a little. But they all remained serious as they followed their mistress through the hanger.

"Now that we're clear, let's move out. We'll have to proceed quicker than expected," said the Black Queen.

"But what about all the relics and artifacts we had stored at the manor?" asked Monet.

"I already had most of them shipped out to the location," answered Selene, "For the others that were destroyed, we'll have to improvise."

"How are we going to be able to do that? Xavier will probably restrict our access to Hellfire resources."

"We'll make do," said Selene strongly, "I don't care for those resources anyways. By the time I'm finished they'll all be meaningless."

After passing through a couple doors, Selene and her minions emerged in the main loading area. There a jumbo sized Hellfire jet was waiting for them. All around were the remnants of Selene's black masked elite guards and team of Hand assassins. They were all swiftly loading supplies and equipment into the plane, carrying crates, bags, and a series of unmarked boxes into the cargo area. Waiting near the entrance to the plane was Mr. Sinister, who had been waiting for a while now. But when he saw Selene he was less than thrilled.

"Selene! Where have you been?" he demanded, "And why am I getting reports of Hellfire Manor exploding?"

"Probably because it did explode," said Selene bitterly.

"What?! What happened?!"

"What do you think? It was Xavier. Apparently that fool was too stupid to stay dead."

"Xavier?! But you killed him! You showed me pictures of his dead, decaying body for crying out loud!"

"Lower your voice, Sinister! I'm in no mood for such a tone! I'm still trying to figure it out myself, but somehow Xavier pulled a fast one and he's still out there along with his pawns!"

Sinister clenched his fists. One of the only reasons he bothered with Selene was because he trusted she could take care of Xavier. Now it seemed as though he had misplaced his trust.

"Where's Hank? I haven't been able to get a hold of him and you said you would send somebody to pick him up," he went on.

Some of Selene's minions backed off a little. They had a feeling this was going to get ugly.

"You're little lab assistant is dead," said Selene sternly.

"WHAT?!" he exclaimed.

"He's not just dead, that freak turned on us!" said the Black Queen, "Apparently he didn't follow your instructions to stay in the lab! He barged in hocked up on that goblin gas and wielding pumpkin bombs! He helped Xavier and the others escape and got himself killed in the process!"

Sinister let out an angry grunt and slammed his fists down on the nearest create, breaking it along with some of the contents inside. Hank was the only other person he trusted. And with him gone he now stood alone against Selene and her minions. Even for him that was not a comforting thought.

"Guess he had a soft spot for that big gorilla," commented Roberto.

"He'll get over it. That guy was basket case anyways," said Alex, who casually stood by with Lorna clinging to him in her daze.

But Sinister heard his remarks.

"Shut up you little punk!" he said menacingly, "This is serious! I need Hank!"

"Well you'll have to mourn him on your own time," said Selene sternly as she turned towards the plane, "We'll have to go on without him."

"Damn it, Selene! This could ruin everything! With Hank dead and Xavier still out there both our agendas are in jeopardy!"

"You think I don't know that?" spat Selene, her face now inches from his, "That's why we're stepping up our time tables! We have to act fast before Xavier can regroup!"

"But my experiments can't be moved up! They need time, especially without Hank!"

"Then you'll just have to flexible with us because this isn't up for negotiation! You still need me and my resources and I'm beginning to run out of uses for you! Either shut up and stick with me or get out of my sight!"

Sinister held back another remark. He disliked this woman from the beginning and now she was only reinforcing his previous concerns. He found himself hopelessly stuck in Selene's affairs. Just as he had with Xavier, his work was reliant on the resources she could provide. But even Xavier wasn't this difficult to deal with. He was beginning to wonder whether or not he would have to implement his backup plan sooner rather than later.

"Fine," he said bitterly, "But I'm warning you Selene, don't push me!"

"You're in no position to threaten me, Essex, and you know it! We can either keep doing this or we can get moving! Now where are the children? We need to load them on board now!"

Sinister held back another curse. He didn't like accommodating this woman and she was wrong about him not being able to threaten her. But he couldn't let her in on his plans while both their predicaments were so fragile. So he swallowed his anger and led her over towards an area near the back of the plane. There group of Hand assassins dressed in special white outfits fitted for medical work were carefully rolling out a series of mid-sized crates. They were all covered by aircraft tarp to conceal what was inside. Once they were set down near the loading bay Sinister pulled back to the tarp.

When he did Selene's minions stood aghast at what it revealed. Underneath the tarp were a row of high tech devices that stood no taller than a mailbox and about as wide as a mid-sized TV. There were twelve of them, all lined up in rows of two. On top of them was a glass box-shaped enclosure that protected the fragile contents inside. And those contents that Sinister and Selene were so concerned about were twelve infant babies, each looking no older than a few months.

It was the first time Wanda, Alex, Tabitha, Kurt, Warren, Betsy, Monet, and Roberto saw them. They all understood that Mistress Selene kept certain parts of her plan from them to keep it from being leaked to Xavier. But this was completely unexpected. Magneto, Sabretooth, Laura, and Laura didn't show much interest but they were all too distant to care let alone react. Wanda also stayed back, remaining close to her mistress. As her protégé she could have no reaction. That was not the case with the others.

"The bloody hell?" said Betsy in a state of shock, "Are these…"

"Whoa, what the hell is this?!" said Tabitha as she stood over the incubator.

"What do they look like, Tabitha? They're babies," said Warren as he took in the sight.

"I know that! I meant what is this for? Since when did this plan include babies?"

"Since when does it matter?" said Roberto, who remained indifferent for the most part.

"I say it matters a lot," said Alex as he turned towards Sinister, "Who are these from anyways?"

"From you, of course," answered Sinister with a wry grin.

They all froze at such a revelation.

"From us?!" exclaimed Monet.

"You meant to tell us we were privy to a breeding experiment and you didn't at least drop us a hint?" said Alex angrily.

"And all without leaving a bloody trace?" added Betsy.

"Of course," said Sinister, "You should all know by now how good I am at covering my tracks."

"Yeah right," scoffed Tabitha, "I think I would have remembered having a kid at some point!"

"Yes, even you can't cover that," said Monet.

"Watch your tone, Tabitha. You don't want to wake them," scorned Selene, "But yes, these children are yours. At least one of them is anyways. They were all created and nurtured from your genetic material. Don't be too surprised. The way you all hump around here it was easy to come by."

Everybody was silent for a moment. Revealing that they had been parents and not even known about it came as quite a shock, even for them.

"So…which one is mine?" asked Alex, "And who did I have it with?"

"That you don't need to know," said Sinister.

"With all due respect, Sinister! I think we have a right to know!" Warren demanded.

"Don't raise your tone to me, boy!" Sinister threatened.

Betsy then stepped in, forming a psionic blade and pointing it right at Sinister's throat.

"Answer the question, Sinister," she said menacingly, "I gather you're the bloke behind this."

"Yeah, only you could manage something this twisted," said Monet angrily.

But before they could interrogate Sinister any further, Selene stepped in to push Betsy and the others away from Sinister. She didn't like defending Sinister, but she didn't need another fight breaking out. In addition she couldn't afford to give her pawns reasons to have second thoughts.

"All of you, enough of this!" she said in a commanding tone, "Yes, Sinister used you to breed these children and yes he did it without your knowledge or consent. Deal with it! And don't try to pick your kid out of the batch either because you shouldn't get too close. These children will serve an important purpose and it has nothing to do with anybody being their parents! Is that clear?"

Nobody dared question or resist the words of their mistress. When Selene said they were to deal with it and let it go, there were no other options. They had to let it go. It was still a lot to take in. They had been parents without knowing it. Even though they had all fallen down the path of darkness, it still struck them. But Selene's authority and command overrode every other instinct. So they backed off.

"Sorry my mistress," said Warren with a respectful bow.

"Yes, we were all out of line," said Tabitha.

Betsy, Alex, Roberto, and Monet followed with a similar gesture. But Selene didn't have time to chew them out over it.

"Stop graveling. There's too much work to be done," she said sternly, "Help Sinister get the children on the plane. We've set up a special area for them. We're leaving soon so hurry it up!"

Alex, Tabitha, Warren, Betsy, Roberto, and Monet all nodded obediently and did as they were told. Selene also ordered Magneto, Lorna, and Laura to help. They were still mindlessly under her spell so they didn't question what was going on. Sabretooth just found it amusing and even laughed at some of the other pawns, earning him some scolds from the others but he could care less what they thought.

"And they say I run with a strange crowd," he commented, "You people do this sort of thing every weekend or something?"

"Shut up and help me with these crates," grumbled Monet.

Sabretooth kept grinning as he went to work. So long as he was stuck with these people he might as well make the best of it. It would all be worth it if he got another shot at Logan.

But while he and the rest of Selene's minions started working, Kurt lingered a bit longer around the incubators containing the children. He heard Mistress Selene pull Wanda off to the side to discuss something. That gave him some time alone with his thoughts and with this child. He had been silent for the most part through this whole ordeal. He barely spoke during the fight at the pier. He barely spoke when he helped torture and rape the other pawns, including his sister and mother. And he barely spoke when it all turned against them with Xavier's sudden return. He kept everything inside, locking any kind of resentment, bitterness, or uncertainty away. Unlike the others there was something else within besides the darkness. And when he saw the children it emerged with a vengeance.

Of all the twelve children, only one of them could be clearly identified. That one child was an infant girl with blue skin, yellow eyes, and a small tail. It was a dead giveaway who provided the material for her. And Kurt found himself placing his hand over the glass and gazing upon the sleeping child. Through the darkness that had consumed him another feeling took hold. It was a feeling he didn't dare show his mistress, but it was very strong and he could not escape it.

"Kurt? Kurt! Did you not hear Mistress Selene's order?" scorned Wanda, who he had been sticking close to through the whole ordeal.

"Ja…I heard it," he said in a flat tone.

"Well what are you waiting for? We have to get going! Mistress Selene says so!"

"I know. And ve vill. I'm just…admiring my child," he said distantly, "She's beautiful, isn't she? I think she's ours."

Wanda looked over at the child and saw it too. It wasn't obvious. It was easy to tell she was Kurt's, but not so easy for her. But somehow she knew and so did Kurt. Maybe it was parental instinct or something, but Wanda tried not to get too caught up in it. Even she couldn't avoid the impact of having learned she bore a child without knowing it. But Selene told them not to get too attached and she never questioned her Mistress.

"That's nice and all, love, but you heard the Mistress. We should not get too attached," she said sternly, "If you want we'll make one together after all this is over, but we need to do what Mistress Selene says. Understand?"

Kurt was silent for a moment, keeping his hand over the glass. A lot went through his mind as he kept looking at his child, but he didn't show it. Now was not the time for such feelings. But he was not going to forget it.

"I understand, my love," he said to her.

"Good, now come with me," she told him, "Selene told me earlier that she has a special assignment for us and it involves taking a little side-trip before we leave."

Kurt nodded, returning to his role as Wanda's obedient lover. But before he walked off with her, he took one last look at the container bearing his child. As much as he wanted to abide to the wishes of his love and their mistress, there were just some things he couldn't escape. That child in that container was the fruit of his love with Wanda. He couldn't just brush that aside and not get attached. Something in him just wouldn't let him. He wasn't sure where Mistress Selene's plan would lead or how it would involve these children. But he had a bad feeling about it. And he may have to make a difficult decision if it got to a point where he could no longer stay silent.

* * *

**Up next: Selene moves forward with her plan while Xavier and the pawns rest and prepare themselves to strike back.**


	14. Coming to Terms

**New Blood  
Chapter 14: Coming to Terms**

**AN: You know the drill. Please review. There aren't many chapters left so please take the time to give feedback. This is my last story. I would like to end it on a good note.  
**

* * *

**Secret Hellfire Island – Caribbean**

By the time the Hellfire jet reached Xavier's secret island it was past midnight and everybody was ready to pass out. But they all held on a little bit longer as the jet landed in a clearing near back end of the island. The island itself was pretty small, about ten miles across at the most. It was surrounded by sandy beaches and palm trees, giving it the aura of a typical tropical island. In the center of the island was a large, opulent villa. It wasn't the same size as Hellfire Manor was, but it was still pretty big and looked plenty spacious enough to house them all in the comfort and luxury they were used to.

When they landed on the island much of it was still dark. Xavier said this place was completely under the radar. It didn't show up on any maps, it wasn't in any public or private records, and it was completely secluded, maintained only by a small continent of psychically controlled servants. It was free of any and all government connections, making it the perfect place to lay low from the chaos brewing throughout the rest of the world.

Once inside the villa, many of the pawns followed Moria down to the lower levels where there was a fully stocked infirmary waiting for them along with some Hellfire doctors to help out. One by one they got checked out. Moria helped administer some healing agents to those who suffered wounds from Selene's torture and she gave them some meds to ease the pain and help them sleep. For the women, she also performed a special operation to replace their birth control implants since Selene de-activated the other ones. She also made sure they contained some special hormones so they would not get pregnant as a result of their rape.

While it was a relief to get healed up and cleaned up after suffering so much under Selene's torture, for many the effects still lingered. The women remained distant, but not one of them shed a tear or said a word of despair. The men were much the same, even those who were still sore with bruises or in pain. After Xavier's little speech on the plane they refused to let Selene's torture make them weak. The pain, humiliation, and violation they suffered was bad, but they were going to use it as a source of focus and not a source of anguish. They had to be strong.

By the time everyone had been checked out it was past two in the morning. The tired and exhausted pawns left the infirmary for the dormitories on the third floor. Rahne led them upstairs since she had been to this place before. But even after she and the others were gone, Xavier lingered with Moria. Even though nobody said much, he could sense in their thoughts the uncertainty and the anticipation. They all knew they were going to face Selene again and they all shared the same ominous feeling that the next time would be even harder.

"So what's the prognosis, Moria? Will they be okay?" Charles asked her.

"Selene did quite a number on them, but they're strong. You trained them to be that way," answered Moria, "So physically and emotionally, they'll be fine. They'll be back enjoying orgies and sex rituals before you know it."

"That's good news I suppose. But in terms of morale I'm not so sure."

"Yes, I picked up on that too. But a lot has happened over the past 24 hours. They seem a bit lost, Charles."

"They're just tired and anxious," he assured her, "And I can't say I blame them when there is still so much uncertainty over what lies ahead of us."

"Neither can I, but I think we're all a bet shaken from this mess. Even I had no idea it would get this bad."

"But it did. And now they're counting on me to guide them through this. But even I don't know what to expect. You know as well as I do that Selene will not stop here. She's going to press us further and she's not going to let up."

"Of course she isn't. She's Selene," sighed Moria, "But they're counting on you because you're their king. You're the one they've looked up to and respected. You're the one who taught them how to wield power and seize upon what they desire. Now everything we've ever worked for is threatened by Selene. And we're going to stop her because that's what the Hellfire Club does to such threats, especially once that involve traitors."

There was determination and anger in her tone. Moria had never liked Selene. One of the reasons she stayed in Europe for so long was because she didn't like being around her. But Xavier was willing to work through her devious nature. And as she predicted it came back to haunt them all. Now the very foundation of the Inner Circle was threatened.

"I suppose you were right all along, my dear," said Xavier distantly, "We should have taken Selene out long ago. If we had then it never would have come to this."

Moria moved in closer to her lover and pulled him into a warm embrace.

"Try not to think about what we could have done. For all we know it could have backfired back then and we'd be worse off now. We may never know, but if I recall you were the one that once told me dwelling on the past is useless. Learning from it is what matters most."

"Yes, I remember that little conversation," said Xavier, his spirits raised somewhat by Moria's warm presence, "It was shortly after I asked you to be my partner in the Inner Circle."

"Aye, and we both learned from that experience. And we'll learn from this one. We just have to use the power we've gained wisely. Selene may be an evil, sadistic bitch, but she's careless and overconfident. We are the true Inner Circle now. And with the other pawns at our side, we can overcome this and become more powerful than ever."

"You're that confident we can stop Selene?" said Xavier with a grin.

"I'm more than confident. I'm certain," she assured him.

She then kissed him passionately, showing to him just how certain she was. She had been weak once under the thumb of her ex-husband. But she had since grown stronger and vowed never to be weak again. She sensed many of the pawns shared her feelings and so did Xavier. Whether it was her ex-husband or his former step-father, they prided themselves on being strong. And no matter how much power Selene acquired, they would stand against her and take her down. It was the fate of all those who opposed them.

* * *

**Dormitories – Scott and Jean**

After completing their checkup, Scott helped Jean up to one of the dormitories. Having endured both torture and wielding the mystical power of the Phoenix, she was probably the most exhausted. She was so tired she didn't even have the strength to give Emma a dirty look when she walked passed her on the way up. She didn't even care when she chose to sleep in the dorm right next to hers. She just wanted to sleep. And after the ordeal she went through, she didn't want to sleep alone.

"Scott…stay with me tonight," she urged him.

"Don't worry. I'm not going anywhere," he assured her.

She managed a smile as he helped her into bed. She was too tired to change into sleeping attire so she just stripped down to her underwear. Scott did the same and slipped under the sheets with her. When she felt his warm body next to hers she felt content for the first time in what seemed like an eternity. She smiled as he held her closely, kissing her forehead as they got comfortable together. If this were any other night they would have made love, but after enduring Selene's torture chambers the mood wasn't right. Most likely, nobody would be having any sex tonight. It was just too soon for a situation like this.

But as tired and exhausted as she was, Jean couldn't fall asleep immediately. As she lay in bed with her lover, her mind continued to wander. She couldn't stop thinking about all that power she wielded. All her life she had been having dreams of it and these past few years she had been training for it without even knowing what exactly 'it' was. But now she knew. That power in her dreams and that power she felt inside her was the power of the Phoenix. It was a power she felt had been connected to her all her life, but it was only now she fully realized it. And while she was still processing this profound revelation, something else dawned on her.

Now that she had this power, she was the only one who could take Selene head on in a battle of magic. She demonstrated when she lifted the paralysis spell off the others that she could overcome her. But she had the element of surprise on her side. Selene would no doubt be more prepared next time they faced one another. And she was certain there would be a next time. She just had to be sure she was prepared as well.

"Are you okay, Jean?" said Scott, who was resting his eyes, "You seem troubled."

"Can't sneak anything past you, can I?" she said with a smile.

"Not that easily anyways," he quipped, "So what is it? You know you can tell me."

Jean snuggled closer, resting her head on his chest as she looked up at him with her tired eyes.

"I was just thinking about this new power I have…this Phoenix power that I was just barely able to wield long enough to get us out of Selene's clutching. And I can't help but wonder if I'll be able to wield it again and wield it well enough to fight back against Selene. We all know how powerful she is and I'm the only one left who knows magic."

"And you don't think you're up to the challenge?" said Scott.

"No, it's not that. I believe I can fight her. I believe I can even beat her. I just don't know if I'm ready yet," she said anxiously, "Selene has had an immortal lifetime to master the mystic arts. I've been at it for five years and I'm only had a brief taste of my true potential. I'm worried that when that time comes I won't be able to do what's necessary to defeat her."

Scott gently trailed his hand down her back and gave her a warm hug. She really was worried about this. And that was saying something because Jean had always been the most confident woman he knew. He had been there with her throughout her development, not just in the mystic arts but in every facet of being in the Inner Circle. He knew how strong and driven she was. But she was never one to get overconfident. And Scott had to remind her of that.

"Jean, do you remember that night when you cast your first spell with me?" he said, now staring deeply into her alluring green eyes.

"Of course," she said, "I'll never forget it."

"Well I seem to remember you telling me something similar. You kept worrying that you didn't have what it took to wield the kind of power of a true mystic. But you did and you excelled at it. Now you're worrying about not having what it takes to wield this new power against someone like Selene. And you shouldn't."

"And why is that?" she asked curiously.

Scott then gently cupped her chin and pulled her closer so her face was mere inches from his.

"Because you have what it takes. You have that drive and spirit. You always have. You never would have been able to succeed in either one of those situation if you didn't. That's why I know you have what it takes to beat Selene when the time comes. You just have to remember everything that drove you to get this far. And use that to go even further."

Jean smiled warmly at his words, feeling a sense of comfort and assurance that only Scott Summers could give her.

"And don't forget, you won't have to go it alone," said Scott, "You'll have me by your side along with Lord Xavier and all the others. We're all in this together. Never forget that."

"I won't. But sometimes I have to be reminded," she said with an affectionate gesture.

"I guess that's where I come in."

"That you do," she said softly, "Now are you going to kiss me goodnight or what?"

Scott smiled and pulled her into another deep kiss. Then with renewed confidence, they slipped into a peaceful sleep together. There was still plenty of uncertainty about this brewing conflict between them and Selene. And like it or not, Jean was going to play a big part in it. But with the support of her lover and the rest of her fellow Hellfire pawns, she was confident she would be able to step up when the time came. They would all have to. Selene betrayed them all and used her power to hurt them. It was only fitting that Jean returned the favor.

* * *

**Dormitories – Logan and Raven**

Logan had never been one for sleep. He was used to staying up into the late hours of the night doing whatever he had to do at the time. His healing factor and his constant struggle with nightmares from Weapon X made sleep an inconvenience at best. But there were times even he needed rest and this was definitely one of them.

Even though his wounds had healed up and his body was unscarred, he was still plenty sore. Sabretooth really did a number on him. And every time his arch enemy caused him pain it seemed to fester a lot more. But it wasn't just the beating he took or the torture he endured under Selene. It was also the unexpected revelation that Mystique, the woman he had gotten very close to in wake of the Jean/Scott/Emma incident, had been involved with him. He still got sick just thinking about it and to her credit, Mystique showed an equal level of disgust. But it still left him with question and a certain level of uncertainty over whether or not what he felt for her was serious.

He stayed with her after the checkup. Her stab wound was healing well, but it still hurt so Moria gave her some pain meds. It made her a little drowsy so she needed some help to get up to her room. Rogue offered to lend a hand, despite being tired herself, but Logan stayed close.

"You don't have to help, Logan. Ah can take care of this mah self," said Rogue as Mystique leaned on her while they made their way through the walls.

"It's okay, Rogue," said Mystique in a dazed tone, "Let him stay. I like his company."

Rogue rolled her eyes and helped her mother the rest of the way into a nearby room. She long suspected her mother having a thing for Logan. It bothered her at first because she wasn't too sure about him. But Jean vouched for him so that helped set her mind at ease. But she never thought anything would happen since Logan seemed so smitten with Jean. Now he seemed to have gotten over that and the possibility was there. But with the way they had been eying each other lately Rogue didn't just think it was possible. She thought it was downright probable.

"Get some rest, mama," she told her as she helped her get into bed.

"Hnn…with these meds that won't be a problem," groaned the shape shifter, "Are you going to be okay, Rogue?"

"Don't worry about meh. Ah'll manage," Rogue assured her, "Selene's a rough bitch, but you trained meh to be stronger than that. Just take it easy and dream about all the terrible things Ah'm gonna do to her when Ah get mah hands on her again."

"That's my girl," said Mystique with a dazed smile.

Rogue smiled back. Even when she was in pain, Mystique played the role of a tough but encouraging mother. She picked up a lot from her over the years and it helped her become powerful in the Hellfire Club. She was going to need all the training and support she ever got from her if she was to oppose Selene as well as her own brother.

Before she left, Rogue gave Logan one last look.

"Take care, sugah. Don't try anything funny 'cause you know who you'll have to answer to."

"I'll keep that in mind," said Logan with a wolfish grin, "Later Rogue."

It was a bit ironic that Rogue was watching out for her mother's love interests instead of the other way around. But in a place like the Hellfire Club, it wasn't the strangest thing that could have happened. Once she was gone Logan turned to Mystique, who was too tired to get under the sheets. He slipped onto the bed with her and sat next to her with his back against the wall. He wasn't ready to go to sleep yet so he found himself just staring down at her, contemplating everything that happened.

"Are you going to stay and tuck me in or something?" she said in a slurred tone.

"Do I look like the tuckin' kind, darlin'?" he responded.

"Then why are you still here? You don't have to stay with me tonight."

"You're right. I don't have to. But I want to, okay? Just do me a favor and don't ask why. I ain't drunk enough to put it into words."

Despite her dazed state, Mystique laughed at his remarks. Logan was never very good with words, but that was part of what she liked about him. She found herself looking up at him, his penetrating gaze never leaving her. It always seemed to have an affect on her. He also never gave her that look unless he had a reason and judging by the look on his face, she had a pretty good idea of what it was.

"So…are you not going to stop giving me that look until I tell you about me and Victor?" she said.

"If I have to I will. You know I ain't all that good with patience," he told her, "But if you still don't wanna talk, that's fine. Just don't expect me to drop it."

"I wouldn't want you to," she sighed, "But so long as I'm high on pain killers I might as well come clean."

Mystique took a deep breath as she prepared to tell him what happened. It was not an easy story for her to tell. She never liked to dwell on it and it occurred during a completely different time in her life. It was before Xavier, before Rogue, and before Kurt. And it had a big effect on her to this day.

"It's been a long time since I've dwelled on it. But it's true. Sabretooth and I did have a brief but obvious relationship," she said distantly, "It lasted no more than two weeks. It happened when I was still an up and coming mercenary in central Europe. We both got caught up in going after the same target. But this target had connections to the Hand so it wasn't easy. He ended up saving me from a pretty nasty situation in an old castle. And as you might expect I showed him a little 'gratitude.'"

"Ugh, how'd you not puke from that?" said Logan with a tough of anger.

"It was another life. I was a different person back then," she sighed, "But for the next two weeks, we decided to work together. We figured if we couldn't get to this target by ourselves we might as well help each other and be done with it. Along the way Sabretooth made no secret of his fondness for me. And I couldn't help but be a little attracted to his brutish nature. We had our moments together. That and the adrenaline made it seem like something more. But then it all went downhill."

"With Sabretooth it always does," growled Logan, "So what happened?"

This part was the most difficult. But Mystique ignored her drowsiness and went on.

"We had just finished killing the target and ready to make our escape. We drew quite a bit of attention and had at least two dozen Hand assassins bearing down on us. At one point one of them threw a bomb that started a fire. Pretty soon that fire spread. So Creed and I tried to make our escape. Then he got caught up with a few heavily armed guard and I got caught up in some debris. I was trapped and kept yelling at him to help me, but all he cared about was tearing into anything that moved. Even after he had his way with the guards he just up and left. He probably thought I was dead anyhow and didn't even bother."

"That's Creed for you," grunted Logan, "He'll screw you over like that."

"Tell me about it," grumbled Mystique, "I did eventually get out, but just barely. After that I left hoping never to see that man again. I figured now that the trill of the mission was over we were done with each other. But there was one little side-effect I didn't anticipate."

"What was that?"

Mystique's expression became more solemn and bitter. She didn't know how he was going to react to this, but there was no going back now. He deserved to know the truth.

"I was pregnant," she told him.

Logan was utterly silent with shock. The look on his face truly said it all.

"I know. I had the same reaction," she went on, "I didn't know what I was going to do. At the time I was in no condition to have a kid. But for a while I still considered having it."

"And did you?" asked Logan intently, shuttering at the notion of her having a kid with Sabretooth running around.

"No…I miscarried," she said, "Nearly killed me in the process. So in a ways, Victor nearly left me for dead twice. It was shortly after that I got involved with Baron Wagner. You know the rest from there, but can you see now why it's such a sore subject for me? Creed saved me, loved me, then tried to kill me once by leaving me behind and again by leaving me with his kid. Seeing him again wasn't just infuriating, it was a painful reminder of a time in my life I'd rather forget."

Logan was speechless. He hated Sabretooth before, but now that hatred was even stronger. That bastard treated Raven as a passing interest and was willing to just let her die without a second thought. He then had the gall to knock her up with his kid have her go through a miscarriage all alone. It made sense now why she was so bitter on this issue. It also made sense why Sabretooth was so focused on her. A part of him wanted to resent her for hooking up with his greatest enemy. But now that he heard the full story, he just resented Sabretooth even more.

"I'm sorry you had to find out about this," she said distantly.

"Don't be sorry, darlin'. It ain't your fault Sabretooth's a worthless, fucking piece of cat shit. It just gives me more reason to want to rip him to shreds."

"I still messed up," the shape shifter mused, "I never should have let my guard down around him. I wouldn't blame you if you hated me for it."

"Nah, you know I couldn't hate you, Raven," said Logan as he gently ran his hands through her red hair, "Yeah you messed up. We all do. We all gotta get kicked in the ass once in a while. The past 24 hours are proof of that."

"Yeah, I think it's safe to say we've had our share for the next dozen lifetimes or so," she said, sighing as she felt Logan's hand on her.

"But that's all the more reason to keep fighting," he said strongly, "And you're a hell of a fighter, Raven. Ever since I started getting to know you that's always what stood out about you. You're not just strong and what not. You ain't afraid to pick a fight and you ain't afraid to get a few scars in the process. So why stop now?"

"Who said I was ever going to stop?" she said with a half-smile, "It's just hard sometimes."

"Yeah…I know, darlin'."

Logan then slipped onto the bed and lay down next to her. He then slipped his arm around her, drawing him into his burly warmth. After a night like this they both needed something to hang onto. He and Raven were both loners in their own right, but they could relate to one another.

"So you still want to stay with me?" she asked him, sounding ready to pass out.

"Of course. Wouldn't want to be anywhere else right now," grinned Logan.

Mystique smiled back and rolled over so she could be close to his warmth. After what she just went through and the memories that came back to haunt her, she needed to be close to this man. Logan was the only one she felt as though she could truly be herself around. And for someone like her who spent her life deceiving people that meant a lot to her.

"Mmm…thank you," she said, curling up close to him, "Thanks for everything, Logan. You have no idea how much it means to me."

"That the drugs talkin' or something?" he joked.

"No…it's the truth," she said intently, "And don't you forget it."

She reinforced her point by giving him a kiss on his burly cheek. Logan assumed that had to be from the drugs, but he didn't mind at this point. He watched as the shape shifter nodded off, still smiling at her the whole time. The revelation about her and Sabretooth had been difficult to stomach, but it also reinforced just how tough this woman was. She understood what it meant to be a fighter. It was all the more reason to believe that maybe there was something special between them. And once this madness passed, it could finally blossom.

* * *

**Dormitories – Kitty and Piotr**

After her checkup Piotr escorted Kitty up to the dormitories. She was still a little sore and gimpy in some areas, but she was able to make it up the stairs and into a nearby bedroom. Piotr tried to help her along the way, but she shook it off for the most part. She wanted to tough this out. Piotr could tell. But she still stayed close to him, reminding him that she still wanted him close to her.

"Are you okay for tonight, Katya?" he asked as he entered the bedroom with her.

"I'm fine, Peter," she said as she sat down on the bed in a fit of exhaustion, "Just have to sleep it off and let the meds do their thing, that's all."

Piotr smiled and nodded. But he continued to linger. He knew Kitty wanted to prove her strength, but he still wanted to be close to her.

"Do you want me to stay with you?" he asked her, "I know you said you wanted to get through this on your own, but…"

Piotr's words trailed off, not sure how else to articulate his point. He felt a bit awkward at first. But Kitty kept smiling.

"It's okay. You can stay if you want," she said, "Just because I want to get through this on my own doesn't mean I still don't appreciate your company."

Relieved, the Russian mutant joined her in the bed. They slipped out of their attire until they were only in their underwear. They then slipped under the sheets together where Kitty eagerly curled up to his imposing, muscular body. Piotr smiled at the feeling and affectionately draped his arms around her. Even for him, a man who was used to being invulnerable, he needed protection of a different kind. And he had always been able to get that from this girl. It was part of why she was so special to him. And after what they just endured it was even more meaningful.

"Peter?" her heard her say in a tired tone.

"Yes Katya?" said Piotr.

"Thank you," she said in a soft yet sincere tone, "I really appreciate what you did earlier, helping me stay strong after everything Selene did to me. I don't think I'll ever be able to repay you for it."

"It's nothing, Katya. You are strong enough to get through it on your own accord. I have no doubt."

"It's not just that," she said, rising up a bit so she could look him in the eye, "Everything you've done for me since I arrived has helped me become stronger. And I can never describe how much that means to me because for so long I was always this nameless weakling who nobody paid attention to. Before people could walk through me, they walked over me and I was always so angry about it. But I didn't begin to really fight back until you came along."

Piotr couldn't help but blush a little under her powerful gaze. Even when she was sore and exhausted, she was so beautiful and alluring. It was yet another testament to her strength.

"I also wanted to say I'm sorry," she added.

"Sorry for what?" he asked curiously.

Then in an unexpected gesture of affection she rose up and kissed him passionately on the lips. It wasn't a peck or a friendly exchange. It was a real, honest kiss that carried with it a level of feeling he hadn't felt with anyone before. He wasn't sure what to make of it, but he found himself kissing back anyways. Then when she parted she looked up at him with those beautiful blue eyes of hers.

"I'm sorry I came so close to losing it without telling you," she said softly, "I honestly thought we were going to die back there. I thought Selene was going to make good on her threats and torture us to death. And if she had, we would have died a terrible death without me ever having told you how I felt about you."

Piotr's heart rate jumped as he quickly surmised where this was going.

"I know we've shared our moments together. We've helped each other, we've worked with each other, and we've had sex with each other. But we've never openly said what we truly feel. And I don't want to losing another opportunity to say it so here goes…I love you, Piotr Rasputin."

Piort was silent at first. He mind froze, unable to form even the most basic of words. His heart kept pounding as his eyes remained locked on hers. Then with his arms still draped over her he replied in the only way he knew how.

"I love you too, Katya," he said.

They knew it was coming. They knew the feelings had always been there. But for the first time they said it. And still, it struck them in a powerful way. Piotr never thought he could bring himself to love anyone other than his sister after years of being hardened in the Russian Mob and the Hellfire Club. Kitty didn't think she could love either after having been an outcast all her life or after having taken on her new role as a pawn. They both came of age in a brutal world of violence, sex, and power. And yet, they still fell in love.

Now lost in a daze, Kitty and Piotr met in another soft kiss. This time it was deeper and more meaningful. It felt right. It was as if this was something they should have done long ago. There was more than just affection, lust, or comfort. Now a real, genuine love and it was a feeling like no other. Selene did a lot of damage, but there were some things that even she couldn't corrupt. Kitty and Piotr gave each other strength as they fought through the torment. Now they had even more now that had shared this.

The Hellfire Club had hardened them over the years. They were not going to stray from this fight against Selene. But it had also opened them up to their passions. Whether it was anger, determination, or love Kitty and Piotr let it drive them to become who they were. Nobody knew what Selene had in store for them, but whatever it was at least they had something to look forward to after it was over.

* * *

**Outside Beach – Remy and Ororo**

While many of the pawns were sore and tired from their ordeal, Remy and Ororo remained restless. They had gotten a checkup like everybody else. They had their share of scrapes and wounds from the fight. Ororo had been grazed by a couple of bullets from the guards so those required some bandages and a dose of healing agents. Remy had his share of bruises, but it was nothing serious. He had taken much worse in the past and wasn't going to have as many scars from it as he could have. And yet this fight left him and Ororo reeling in ways they never expected.

For years Ororo and Remy had just been thieves for the Hellfire Club. They didn't get too closely involved with the daily affairs of the organization. They just carried out jobs for them that Xavier didn't trust anyone else to do. But now they found themselves so deeply involved in the Hellfire Club it was hard to escape. They were so involved Selene saw it fit to send Sabretooth and an army of assassins to kill them. If they hadn't made the decision to help Charles and Moria with their plan they probably would have succeeded. But in doing so they crossed a line from just being thieves for hire to being a part of something bigger. And after having fought so hard against Selene and her forces they knew there was no going back.

The two thieves found themselves contemplating their situation endlessly after leaving the infirmary. They were too restless to sleep so Ororo decided to go for a walk. Being surrounded by nature always seemed to clear her head. Remy tagged along with her, but not because nature helped clear his head or anything. He just liked being around Ororo during times like this. And they needed each other if they were to get through this.

Neither one of them said much as they walked along the beach, watching as small waves crashed upon the shore. The sky was pretty clear too so the stars and the moon were visible. It would have been a picturesque sight if it weren't for the dire circumstances.

"So…" said Ororo, breaking the silence.

"So…" Remy repeated.

"What now?" said the African thief, "Did we ever plan what we would do after we got through this?"

"Remy must have missed that meeting. Even the best thieves can't plan ahead for everything. Who knew that Selene woman would take it this far or that we would have to blow up the manor to get away? We knew were gonna have to improvise from the get go."

"I know, but I never thought we it would have to go this far. Just look at everything that's happened, Remy. The lives we once had are officially over."

"Aw don't say that, cherè. We still master thieves, ain't we?" said Remy, slipping an arm around her waist.

"That's not the point," she said distantly, "Remember what I told you early on about working for the Hellfire Club? We have to keep our distance from its internal affairs so we don't become targets from rivals or other thieves. That's why we only stole for Xavier and nothing more. But we had to get involved in order to get through this."

"Well we kinda had to," shrugged Remy, "If we hadn't Selene would have killed us."

"I know and that's the ultimate irony. The only way to protect ourselves was to throw our old lives away forever. And since Selene is still out there and the Hellfire Club is a mess there's no going back. We involved in this now every bit as much as the pawns. And I'm still trying to wrap my head around it I guess."

Remy fell silent as he took in her words. He tried to lighten the mood, but it just didn't work in a situation like this. There really was no going back to their old lives. They were too deeply involved now. They couldn't afford to be outsiders anymore. They knew it was coming and yet they still were surprised by it.

"So what's that mean? We gonna become pawns too now?" said Remy.

"I don't know. We kind of already were when we agreed to this," said Ororo, "Maybe I'm just brooding, but I really liked how things were before. I was being paid a king's ransom to do skills I've been good at doing my whole life. Don't get me wrong, I have aspirations. I always figured I'd get more involved with the Hellfire Club eventually. I just didn't expect it to happen like this."

"Trust me, cherè. Nobody expected this. And we got real psychics workin' with us so what's that tell you?"

Ororo laughed somewhat at his comment. Remy was always good at lightening the mood, but her uncertainty persisted.

"I guess you're right. It just seems so complicated."

Remy was silent for a moment as they stopped along the beach to admire the moon. He looked over at his long-time partner and friend and saw an array of emotions. He knew Ororo well. He probably knew her better than anybody. But she was still a mystery at times. She still didn't talk much about her past or why she was so distant at times. She never liked to get too involved, even though she clearly had feelings for him. But he never called her out on it because his situation as similar. He kept a lot of people at arm's length throughout his life, but he let himself get close to Ororo. He trusted her enough to watch his back on the job. Maybe now it was time to trust her a little further. They may not get another chance.

"That's just it, cherè. Things is never as simple as we want them to be. Believe me, I know. But it ain't necessarily a bad thing."

"What do you mean?" asked Ororo curiously.

Remy took a deep breath as he prepared to tell a story he hoped he would never have to tell again.

"Back in the day when Remy was in the Thieve's Guild, we had simple rules. We look out for each other and we get the job done. Ever since Remy was a boy my perè, Jean Luc, drilled that into my head as if it were a prayer. And we all followed it to the letter. Throughout my teen years I never even thought about it. But pretty soon those simple rules weren't enough."

Ororo looked at the Cajun more intently. She knew it had to be serious if Remy was going into details about his past. He rarely even hinted at it. So whatever point he had to make, it had to be serious.

"It started with the long standing war between the Thieves and the Assassins. We got word that they was usin' magic or some other mystic mojo to expand their power. Naturally, the Thieves responded. We started stealin' mystic relics ourselves and usin' em to guard our turf. But it just kept on growing and growing. Watchin' each others' backs just wasn't enough anymore. Sometimes keepin' with those rules meant needless losses that weakened the Guild from top to bottom. It got to a point it was so bad both sides tried to negotiate a truce. And that's where it got real complicated for Remy."

"How so?" asked Ororo intently.

Remy hesitated to go on because he had a feeling she wasn't going to like this. But she deserved to know.

"In sort of a twisted peace gesture, my perè agreed with the head of the Assassins that I would marry one of their top agents, Belladonna."

"You marry?" said Ororo with a half grin.

"Yeah, I know. Hard to believe, non?" he sighed, "But yeah, it was all set up. I was gonna marry a woman I barely knew to help my fellow thieves. But as you've probably figured out, Remy didn't go through with it. And it wasn't because of cold feet."

"What was it then?"

Remy's expression grew distant as he let out a deep sigh.

"It was because I found out that what I was doing was only going to make things worse. I overheard a conversation Belledonna was havin' with one of the higher ups. Right in the middle of the reception, they was gonna spring a trap that would take out pretty much the entire top half of the Thieves Guild. So if I walked down that aisle, it would have been over."

Ororo took a moment to digest that. Now she understood why he was so averse to opening up at times. Being put in a position like that was hard enough. But that wasn't the end of the story.

"So Remy did what he had to do. I ran away and didn't look back. Of course, it really messed things up between the guilds. The fightin' resumed and it's probably still goin' on. And Remy couldn't show his face to either side because to them I was a coward and a traitor. But that don't bother me a bit. Yeah, it really complicated things. But it was better than the alternative."

His expression sank again. Ororo placed an arm on his shoulder and moved in closer, lending her comfort to her long-time friend.

"I'm sorry you had to go through that," she said.

"Don't be sorry, cherè. It was tough, but thankfully you and Xavier came along and gave Remy another chance. I know Remy was real stubborn about it at first, but even when everything you care about has fallen apart it's still hard to say goodbye. I know that don't make no sense, but that's how Remy feels."

Ororo was silent for a moment. She looked away, her eyes drifting back towards the stars and then back to Remy. She thought she knew this man well, but now she had an insight that put him in a whole new light. He made a sacrifice to honor the code of the Thieves Guild that left him exiled and alone. It broke him out of the world he knew, leaving him lost and uncertain not unlike they were now. But it eventually led to something else and that really resonated with Ororo.

She then moved in closer to him, slipping both arms around his neck and caressing his unshaven face. At first Remy wasn't sure what she was doing, but then he saw a strange look of empathy in her eyes. It wasn't a look he expected from her, but he could see it clearly.

"Actually, it makes perfect sense to me," she told him, "You're not the only one who had to leave something behind you cherished."

"You don't say?" said Remy curiously, "You ever been through something like that?"

"I have," she said, her expression shifting, "Years ago when I was still a pickpocket in Africa, I met this man who I thought might be the one for me. His name was T'Challa and he was a prince of this small, isolated kingdom called Wakanda."

"A prince?" said Remy, "So you could have been a real queen?"

"I could have. But I didn't," she said distantly, "What happened was his royal handlers found out I was a thief and they didn't were already wary of outsiders so having a thief in their midst didn't sit well. But it didn't bother T'Challa. He thought he could work them over so long as I promised to stop. But it wasn't that easy."

Ororo sighed as the memories came rushing back. For a while it looked as though she might move away from the world of thievery, but she was too entrenched at that point.

"You know as well as I do, Remy, that it's hard to just stop being a thief when it's such a big part of your life. It was all I knew and it was how I survived. I can't tell you how many arguments we had over it. He didn't understand because he grew up never having to steal anything to survive. When it began to look as though it wasn't going to work between us, some Wakandan agents came in to take me out. The way they saw it a thief that knew of their kingdom's existence was too dangerous a threat."

"Remy guessed they failed," he said with a half grin.

"Let's just say they underestimated the resolve of a mutant thief," she said, "After that I confronted T'Challa. He claimed he had no knowledge of the agents. And I believed him. But the incident proved to that we could never be together. He just didn't understand. He tried to get me to stay, but it was too late. I was a target now so I had to run away. Chances are there are still some people in Wakanda who want me dead. It was shortly after that I moved to New York and began working for Xavier. But still…it was hard leaving everything behind."

It was the first time Ororo told someone about this. She never even told Xavier. It was a dark time in her life where she got caught up in something she didn't have control over. It was a lot like what she was caught up in now. Things had been simpler and easier before, but now they were complicated. But it was reassuring in many ways to finally open up to someone who could really understand. She and Remy seemed to have the same mishaps and heartaches in life, but at least now they had someone to relate to.

The two thieves stood lost in the moment. Remy didn't make a comment or quip like he usually did. Ororo didn't go on either. There was nothing else to say. She just stood there in his arms while he held her close, gazing into her eyes. For the first time in a lifetime Remy and Ororo had opened up to someone. It was liberating and refreshing. And it brought them closer in a way they never expected.

"So…" said Remy, breaking the silence.

"So…isn't this how this conversation started?" she said with a half-grin.

"Oui, just thought a little consistency would help," said Remy, "I know we ain't always been too open to each other or anybody for that matter, but for what it's worth I understand."

"Yes…me too," she said as she caressed his face.

Remy smiled back as he trailed his hands up her back, throwing in a little lustful affection as he so often did.

"There's just one more thing, cherè…"

"Of course, what is it Remy?" said Ororo.

"When you left T'Challa for good did that mean you didn't wanna love again? Would you still be open to giving it another shot?"

Ororo smiled as she affectionately gazed into Remy's mysterious red on black eyes. It was a question she knew was bound to come up. But after everything they just revealed to one another, it was one she didn't hesitate to answer.

"Oh I'm still open to giving love another chance," she told him, "I just…wanted to wait for the right moment."

"What's wrong with now?"

"Do you always have to be this impatient?" she teased.

"That ain't an answer. Seriously, Stormy…why not now?"

Ororo thought about it for a moment. She and Remy had always been close. They developed their own unique bond in the years they had been working together. They always resisted getting to close even though many times they did act like they were an item. But things had changed. Everything was changing. The circumstances of their lives were different now and there was no telling where it would lead them. Perhaps now was as good a time as any to take a chance like this. They may not get another.

"You're right, Remy," she said softly, "Now works just fine."

Remy and Ororo then came together in a deep kiss. Under the stars on a beach on an island secluded from the world, it seemed as good a place as any to take this step. They had come a long way as partners and lovers. With so much changing between them, the Hellfire Club, and everything in between nothing was certain. But through it all they found something they could hang onto and that was each other. Neither of them knew what to expect, but whatever may come they would face it together.

As they kissed and embraced, their gestures grew more heated. Hands began to roam with Remy slipping his hands onto her butt while Ororo hungrily raked her hands over his chest. Restlessness and anxiety had given way to passion and soon the feeling was burning inside them. The other pawns may not have been in the mood for such acts, but Remy and Ororo were the exception.

"Mmm…make love to me, Remy," moaned Ororo through the kissing.

"You mean out here or inside?" he said with a wry grin.

"I meant out here on the beach. Can you think of a more perfect place to make love at a time like this?"

Remy didn't bother giving it any thought. He just smiled and pulled her into another kiss, letting the passion take over. In their embrace they helped remove their clothes. After building up the arousal they began orally teasing each other, going slowly and tenderly in a ways to make this moment special. She wanted him every bit as badly as he wanted her. So they continued to follow their passions.

With the soft sands of the beach as their surroundings, they embraced each other passionately and started making love. Tender sensations of bliss followed. They had heard from others like Scott and Jean that there was a big difference between having sex and making love. They never understood that, but now they did. It was a feeling they couldn't help but draw out, building towards a powerful climax and clinging to each others' naked flesh as the feeling washed over them. But even after this strong release, they kept going in a heated passion. They continued rolling around on the beach, making love in a variety of position. At one point the waves began riding up under them, making for an extra erotic feel to it all. It did little to slow them down as they pushed each other to greater heights of passion and intimacy. They enjoyed their share of orgasms. But for the last round they really built it up, wanting to make the final push truly special. Fittingly, a ave passed under them just as they climaxed the final time. It was a perfect way to commence this new step in their lives. They had come a long ways, never once thinking they wold find love along the way. Yet here they were.

Together, they embraced the ecstasy, gazing lovingly into each others' eyes as relished this moment. They had been friends and partners for years, always wondering if they should take that next step but never going through with it. Remy Lebeau and Ororo Munroe didn't open up easily. History showed them that it always led to heartaches. But they took another chance. There wasn't just love between them, but understanding. And this time it felt right.

"I love you, Remy," said Ororo softly.

"I love you too, Storm."

Under the stars on the sandy, picturesque beach the two thieves met in one last kiss. It was a fitting way to end such a night. There was no telling what this growing conflict with the Hellfire Club would bring, but they were confident they had the strength to endure it together.

* * *

**Kingdom of Nova Roma – Imperial Palace **

Nestled in the thick jungles of South America was a kingdom hidden from the rest of the world. It was a kingdom unique in that it was the last remnants of the great Roman Empire. Many centuries ago, a group of Roman citizens fled their homeland to avoid a barbarian invasion. They set sail across into the ocean in hopes of finding a land far from the conflict. They got blown off course and eventually found themselves in the jungles of the Amazon. It was there they set up a new Rome, one that would be immune from the conflicts of old and be secure from any barbarians. And it endured in secret, protected by an array of mystical defenses.

But the secret was well-known by Selene. It had to be because she was the one who started it all. Before there had been a Hellfire Club, she was just a powerful sorceress with aspirations of greater power. When she heard about the fleeing Romans, she saw her chance. Using her magic, she was able to tame the unforgiving jungle and create a perfect replica of a Roman city. The citizens were grateful at first and completely willing to make her their queen. But they soon learned the high price they would pay for such foolishness.

Selene's rule over them was cruel and tyrannical. While the citizens were safe from outsiders and barbarians, there was no defense against their queen's ruthlessness. She routinely slaughtered and tortured those who displeased her. Even those that didn't, she showed a blatant disregard for civility or compassion. Eventually, the citizens turned on her and with the help of other mystics, were able to exile her for many centuries. But about ten years ago, she returned and seized power once more. She killed and tortured the royal family, had all the rival mystic slaughtered, and proclaimed herself immortal queen once more. And the once peaceful and prosperous kingdom reverted back to its old ways of tyranny and brutality.

But to everyone's surprise, Selene did not reign over her kingdom directly. Once she seized power, she stepped back and let a group of mind controlled Hellfire officials run the day to day operations. They carried out her acts of cruelty, making it clear to the citizens she was still in charge. But before she left she proclaimed that she was preparing Nova Roma for her ultimate ascension. She wouldn't say what that entailed, but she promised she would return when the time was right. And that time was now.

"Wow…so this is Nova Roma," said Monet as she gazed out the window of the Hellfire jet as it landed.

"Indeed," answered Selene as she emerged from the cockpit, "This is Nova Roma, the last vestige of the Roman Empire. It is a kingdom I helped create centuries ago. And it will be the sight where the final phase of my plans will take place."

"Not bad," said Roberto, "It's not too far from home for me."

"Hell, it's my kind of place!" grinned Sabretooth, "Surrounded by jungle and full of good hunting ground!"

"Of course you would like it," said Tabitha, rolling her eyes, "If I knew we were heading to a secret tropical city I would have brought my sunscreen."

"This isn't a vacation, Tabitha. We're here on business," said Warren.

"I know. I know," she sighed, "What kind of business are we talking about anyways?"

"You'll see," said Selene with an ominous grin, "But I assure you it'll be something for the ages."

Selene's minions couldn't help but smile at her words. Mistress Selene was not one for exaggeration. When she said this would be for the ages she meant it. And they had every intention of following her to the very end.

"What about Xavier? Does he know about this place?" asked Warren.

"Oh he knows," said Selene bitterly, "He's one of the few outsiders that does."

"How did that happen?" asked Roberto, "Does that mean he and the others could drop in on us?"

"I highly doubt it," scoffed Selene, "This whole area is protected by a powerful magic veil. There isn't a system in the world that can penetrate it from the outside. He might as well stumble in the dark."

"That doesn't mean he won't find a way," said Sinister, who had been flying the plane, "Charles is nothing if not resourceful."

"Have some confidence in our Mistress, Sinister," said Alex sternly as he cuddled with Lorna, "These are not issues you need to concern yourself with."

"I'll be the judge of that, boy," said Sinister with a scorn, "If this so called 'kingdom' is supposed to be a vestige of Ancient Rome then you better have a way to get power and resources here so I can complete my experiment."

"I've already taken care of that, Sinister," assured Selene, "I ordered my guard to set up a laboratory in the imperial palace. You'll have everything you need to finish your work."

"I better. I've come too far to be thwarted by meaningless logistics!"

"Oh believe me, I understand completely," said the Black Queen with a dark grin, "But don't worry. I haven't forgotten our arrangement. I will continue to do my part so long as you do yours."

Sinister was inclined to scoff at such a notion, but he had too much work to do to bicker with Selene at the moment. With Hank gone he would have to do much of it on his own now and that would take time. And the longer he remained caught up in Selene's affairs the more dangerous it seemed. Whatever she was planning he wasn't about to let it interfere with his agenda. Even if she screwed him over, he was prepared to respond.

"You there…" said Selene, pointing to Alex, Roberto, and Monet, "Help my elite guard unload the equipment from the cargo bay. Use Lorna, Laura, and Magneto for the heavy lifting and if they step out of line, let me know. Make sure they remember who's in charge."

"Oh don't worry about that. I'll remind them," growled Sabretooth with a grin as he eyed Laura.

"What about the rest of us?" asked Warren.

"You'll be assisting me on setting up some of the materials I had shipped from the manor," she said as she led them off the plane, "Before I can implement the final phase of my plan, I must make sure everything is in place. My power must be optimal for when the time comes."

Selene's minions obediently nodded as they followed her outside, where they were all struck by the humid tropical heat. There was already a team of elite guards in Roman style armor waiting to greet them. They all had a similar style to Selene's special guard back at the manor in that their clothing was similar and they had the distinct black masks. Once outside Alex, Roberto, and Monet led Magneto, Laura, and Lorna to the rear of the plane where they were unloading it. They were still under mind-control so they were silent and obedient. They were a little sluggish at times, especially Magneto and Laura, but a few light reminders from Sabretooth kept them in line.

While the others began working with Sinister to unload the plane Warren, Betsy, and Tabitha followed Mistress Selene to an area near the front of the plane where another smaller opening revealed a last-minute yet vital addition to her plan. She didn't anticipate having to do this, but with Xavier's sudden return she had to improvise.

Out from the opening stepped Kurt and Wanda. And standing between them was a blindfolded and disoriented Illyana Rasputin. She was restrained by metal shackles on her hands and chains on her ankles. Kurt and Wanda held onto her arms from each side, moving her down the steps and up to their mistress. She was still pale and sickly, but she still had the strength to resist and make capturing her all the more difficult.

"Errrrr let me go! Get this blindfold off me now! Who are you people?!" she exclaimed as she struggled.

"Shut up already!" groaned Wanda, "Sorry, Mistress Selene. This little bitch is a bigger handful than we expected."

"I'm sure it's nothing you couldn't handle," said Selene as she looked down at the young girl as she kept struggling to break out of Kurt and Wanda's grip.

"Of course not, but I had to suppress more than just her mutant teleportation powers. She has an intense field of mystical energy around her. I tried to contain it, but even with my hexing powers it was difficult."

"But it is still contained, right?" said the Black Queen.

"For now," said Wanda, "But I don't know how long my spell will hold up."

"What spell?! What are you doing to me?! Why can't I teleport?!" exclaimed Illyana as she kept struggling.

Selene looked over the young Russian for a moment. She held out her hand to get a feel for the kind of mystical energy surrounding her. What she felt was greater than she anticipated. Her hand started glowing bright yellow, indicating some very potent potential. Even in her immortal lifetime such energy was rare. Magic, being both art and science, adhered to some unorthodox but ridged rules. And one of those rules was that every once in a while someone was imbued with a powerful connection to mystical forces.

This girl, Illyana Rasputin, was one of them. Selene had been keeping track of her for over a year now. She noticed that every time Piotr went to visit her he had some sort of mystical residue lingering. It didn't come from him so she suspected it rubbed off on him while he was around a particularly potent source. She traced that source back to Illyana and from then on she kept an eye on her. She suspected this mystical connection was related to her mutant powers. She had Sinister do a secret analysis that revealed among other things, when she teleported she would briefly shift into a different dimension before re-emerging back in this one. It was similar to Kurt's powers, only the dimensions Illyana was shifting into were very different in that they were potent sources of mystical energy. It was that connection to those dimensions that intrigued Selene.

The Black Queen grabbed the blind fold and ripped it off so Illyana could see where she was. When she looked into the eyes of the young teenage girl she saw a sickly, anxious, yet defiant spirit. She assumed that was some of her brother's traits rubbing off on her and while she was intimidated, she did not show her fear.

"So you're Illyana Raspuin," said the Black Queen, "I must say I expected a bit more from someone with you're 'unique' traits."

"You must be Selene," she said in her heavily accented tone, "My brother told me about you."

"Did he now?" Selene grinned.

"He told me you're a cruel, sadistic, bitch who will do anything to get what you want."

"Ha! That sounds about right."

"He also told me you smell like a dead goat covered in mud. And now that I'm here I can see that he was right. Only I don't want to insult the dead goat."

Selene's expression cringed with anger. This girl had a lot of gall to make such remarks. Even her brother wasn't that foolish. She watched as Wanda gave her a light shock with her hex bolts.

"Watch you're tongue you little snot! You're speaking to the Black Queen! You WILL be respectful or I will make you suffer!"

"Do not threaten me! I have no respect for any of you!" said Illyana defiantly.

Wanda was about to strike her again, but Selene stopped her before she could.

"No Wanda. As much as I resent such disrespect, I need her unharmed."

"But…" Wanda began.

"That is not a request, my pupil!" said Selene sternly, "You are not to lay another hand on her until I say so! Is that clear?"

Wanda shot Illyana a hard scorn, but as much as she hated leaving such deeds unpunished she had to obey her mistress.

"Yes, Mistress Selene," she said respectfully.

"Good, now take her to my throne room and keep her bound," Selene ordered, "If she continues to be harass you, gag her. Just make sure her powers stay contained. They will be playing a big part in the events to come."

Wanda nodded and obeyed her Mistress. She grabbed Illyana by the shoulder and started guiding her into the imperial palace. She continued to struggle, but Kurt and Wanda kept a strong hold on her. They weren't sure why this girl was such a major part of Mistress Selene's plans, but they did not question it.

"Take it easy, little one," said Kurt in a flat tone, "It'll all be over before you know it."

But Illyana remained defiant.

"My brother will find me and stop you. Just you wait. He'll come and then you'll all be sorry."

"Kurt, get the ball gag. I've had enough of this little insect's mouth!" grunted Wanda.

Kurt did as his love requested and took out a gag that they used earlier when they abducted her. He then forced it into her mouth so she could not say another word. She continued to struggle, but there was no escape now. She was a part of Selene's plans and like everyone else, she would serve her purpose. What that purpose was, however, was known only to Selene.

As the Black Queen watched Kurt and Wanda drag Illyana off she turned her attention over towards the balcony over the landing port. There she could see over the large ridge where her vast palace stood upon and look out over her kingdom. She could see nearly all of it from here. It was much bigger than she remembered when she started it. In the years she had been exiled it had nearly doubled in size. In its current state it contained as many people as Rome itself had back in its peak. If anybody else were standing in her position they would have thought they were looking out into the heart Ancient Rome itself. But just below the surface, she could see the fruits of her handiwork.

Before her return, Nova Roma was a peaceful, thriving kingdom. Mystics protected the city's sanctity while citizens and artisans worked to build great monuments of art and culture. They even kept up with science, using agents on the outside to bring in technology so that every citizen could live in comfort similar to that of prominent Roman merchants. Because of this prosperity, the Nova Roman state and the royal family that held it together was beloved and adored. But to Selene, this ideal setting for Nova Roma was a coarse perversion of the kingdom she once ruled.

Once she got back into power she quickly re-established the old way of doing things. She killed off the old order and established and absolute rule. Then with her new elite guard, she taxed the wealth away from her citizens and used it along with Hellfire resources to expand the imperial palace to a level of opulence that would have made Nero himself jealous. The rest of her citizens were reduced to dire poverty. They all lived on the very brink, constantly starving and completely at the mercy of her ruthless guards. None dared to resist her. Fear and terror kept them in line. And because of that she could do with her kingdom as she pleased. But it still wasn't enough.

Nova Roma was just the beginning. To have this kind of power and control over a mere kingdom was hardly fitting for someone of her power. Soon the entire world would be like the submissive citizens of Nova Roma. They would tremble in terror before her absolute power and she would decide the fates of all. And she wouldn't just be wielding the power of a queen. She would be wielding the power of a true goddess.

'_It's so close. I can feel it! Soon the power will be mine! And the whole world will be consumed by the fires of hell!'_

* * *

**Up next: Selene and Sinister clash while Xavier and the pawns stumble onto a clue from an unexpected source.**


	15. Uncertainty Abound

**New Blood  
Chapter 15: Uncertainty Abound**

* * *

**Secret Hellfire Island Villa**

Days passed on the secluded island for Xavier and his pawns. It was a time of rest and recovery. Those that endured Selene's torture chambers were especially in need of it. The pain and humiliation they endured left a number of scars, both physically and mentally. Even those that avoided the torture chambers needed it as they struggled to collect themselves and contemplate what they would do now. The Hellfire Club was officially in chaos. There was no telling whether or not they would be able to access any of their resources. There was also no telling what Selene would try next. They had a hard enough time escaping their clutches. Catching up with her was sure to be an even greater challenge.

Throughout the opulent villa, the pawns lounged about in the luxurious accommodations. Some laid in bed for hours on end, others went for long walks on the beach, and others passed time in the recreation rooms. Nobody talked much. They didn't indulge in their usual sexual activities either. Nobody besides Remy and Ororo were really in the mood. Everybody had their own way of dealing with these circumstances and everybody had issues doing so. The only thing they could all agree on is that Selene was still out there and they had to take her down.

At the moment many of the pawns were enjoying a nice lunch prepared by the Hellfire cooks. Jean, Rogue, Pietro, Bobby, Jubilee, Kitty, Piotr, Julian, Danielle, Remy, Emma, and Ororo were all present, lounging about and eating in the dining area while the midday sun filled the villa. Scott, Warpath, Sam, Deadpool, Rahne, Logan, and Mystique were still in the lower levels with Xavier and Moria trying to access some of the systems. They had been working at it for days, not taking nearly as much time to rest as the others. They couldn't rest so long as Selene was still out there. They were intent on finding her, but at the rate they were going it might be a while.

"So much longer do you think it will take for Lord Xavier to find Selene?" asked Bobby, "We've been here for almost a week."

"Be patient, Bobby," said Piotr, "Xavier will find her. He always does."

"I hope so," said Kitty bitterly as she finished her eggs, "I can't wait to get my hands on that woman and make her pay for what she did to me."

"Believe me, Kitty, we all do," said Jubilee, "But even if they do find her, I can't help but wonder what she's up to. I mean, you said it yourself, Bobby. It's been almost a week. Why haven't we heard anything?"

"Guess that's the big question," said Bobby as he iced up some cola, "Because if her sole goal was to torture and kill us, she would have come looking for us."

"What makes you so sure that she hasn't?" asked Kitty.

"Because she's Selene," Bobby answered bluntly, "She would have either found us by now or she would have torn through half the world looking for us. I think we would have noticed either."

Bobby wasn't the most articulate person in the world, but he had a talent for making things simple and understandable. It made sense because they all knew Selene well enough to understand how driven she was. If torturing them was her goal they would have confronted her by now. But that clearly wasn't the case.

"So what do you think she could be up to?" wondered Jubilee.

"With her, who knows?" said Bobby, "I wouldn't be surprised if she just plans to destroy the world."

"Me neither, but I think she would do something a bit more elaborate," said Kitty, "Selene is guilty of a lot of terrible things, but doing things half-hearted isn't one of them."

"Indeed," said Piotr distantly as he just stirred his soup, "I just hope we can stop her soon so we can get back to New York. I still need to call my sister. She's probably worried sick."

"Oh I wouldn't worry about that. She knows you can take care of yourself," said Kitty, smiling and moving in closer to help lift his spirits, "Besides, you did make her a promise and she knows you always keep them."

That helped cheer Piotr up a little. He smiled back at his love and pulled her into a light embrace. Bobby and Jubilee rolled their eyes when they saw this. They weren't surprised Kitty and Piotr finally hooked up, but this hardly seemed like an appropriate time to be starting a relationship.

"Those two picked a hell of a time to get romantic," commented Bobby.

"I know. Go figure," said Jubilee.

Kitty and Piotr ignored their comments and enjoyed their little moment. Ever since their first night here they had plenty of opportunities to explore this new part of their lives. With little else to do but wait for updates from Lord Xavier, they had a lot of time on their hands to work these things out. It was still new to them and these circumstances didn't make it any easier. Hopefully when this whole messy affair with Selene was over, they could really allow it to blossom.

And Kitty and Piotr weren't the only new couple to come together as a result of recent events. Remy and Ororo had also been spending their share of time together, getting acquainted with the idea of them being an item. In between making love on the beach they began telling more stories about their past, which was also something they were getting used to. But it had been good for them for the most part. And it helped strengthen their bond.

"Those two are cute together," commented Ororo as she ate her fruit salad.

"Oui, guess size really does matter for that girl," snickered the Cajun, "She's gotta be one of the most petite femmes around here and she goes for a big guy like Petey."

"I don't think size has everything to do with it, Remy," said Ororo with a slight chuckle.

"Maybe not, but it makes you wonder, non?"

The two thieves shared a good laugh. But the woman sitting next to them, Emma Frost, was hardly amused. She hadn't even cracked a smile since she got here. She barely even spoke to anybody. These past few days she had been keeping to herself, often hovering around Scott and Jean as if she was waiting for them or something. Nobody dared ask for details. Emma had always been a very private person and she was known for getting moody when people pushed her.

"Would you two please stop talking about love already? It's starting to get on my nerves," said Emma as she roughly stabbed a piece of chicken with her fork.

"Since when does love get on your nerves, Frost? Ain't like you've ever been one for affection," commented Remy with a wry grin.

"Wipe that stupid look off her face or I'll pry it off with this fork," she said bitterly.

"Take it easy, Emma! Do you have to snap at everybody who makes a comment?" said Ororo defensively.

"Of course you'd say that. You'll say anything to defend a man that makes you moan loud enough to be heard across several rooms."

Ororo shot the blonde telepath a harsh scorn while Remy snickered. Unlike the others had known Emma a lot longer. They were never the best of friends, but they had gotten to know one another during the early years before Xavier became the Black King. She knew some details of her history, including the affair with Shanobi. She never brought it up, but she knew it was a sore subject that still affected her.

"Emma, I don't know why you have more of an attitude than usual, but I would at least try and tone it down. You're already on thin ice with everybody after helping Selene."

"How many times to I have to tell you people?! I didn't know I was helping Selene! I was tricked!" Emma spat.

"Ignorance is not an excuse. You should know that better than anybody after what happened with you-know-who," said Ororo strongly, "Now I don't know what it is you're dealing with or what drove you to help that damned woman, intentional or not. But whatever it is, stop being so bitter about it and start dealing with it on your own. Don't wait for others to do it for you because you'll be waiting a LONG time."

Before Emma could make another one of her famous quips, Ororo got up to get some more fruit. Remy didn't follow her at first. He just sat there and stared at Emma for a bit and shrugged, giving her a look that said he didn't judge but he didn't disagree with his lover's remarks. Emma still shot him a cold glare so he got up to leave.

"Ya want it to be this way, cherè? That's fine with Remy. But take it from someone who knows. There ain't no solace in bein' alone on your own island. And that ain't no joke either."

"Shut up, Lebeau," was all Emma said in response.

Remy shrugged and smiled as he went to get some more food. Emma stayed seated, casually stirring her chicken and rice and occasionally looking over towards Kitty and Piotr. She didn't show it, but at times she felt a twinge of jealousy. She still found herself wishing she could have had that with Scott or even Shanobi, had he not been a lying bastard. Love was still a sore subject for her, almost as much as what happened with Selene. But she was getting nowhere just keeping it to herself.

Emma found herself looking over towards Jean, who had been keeping her distance just like Scott. The idea of confronting her as well as Scott was not a pleasant feeling. But on some levels Ororo was right. She couldn't just wait for this to work itself out. It wasn't going to blow over anytime soon. Sooner or later she would have to confront them and at least try to make peace. For now it just didn't feel right. Nobody trusted her and a lot of people still hated her. Maybe if she stuck around and helped fight Selene it would go a ways towards winning back some trust. But until she had something to work with, she could only wallow in bitterness and contemplate where it would go from here.

For Jean, she was fully aware of the looks Emma had been giving her. She had been aware of them since they arrived. But she ignored them for the most part. At times she wanted to just walk up to her and beat the life out of her, but Scott made her promise she would hold off until they talked it out. She wasn't sure what there was to talk about. That woman tried to mind warp him into loving her. She figured he would want to pay her back even more than she did, but he insisted they would talk it out. Lord Xavier also played a part in keeping her at bay. He assured her that Emma would be dealt with in time, but for now they had other issues to worry about. And against Selene they needed all the help they could get.

After staring Emma down Jean let out a deep sigh and returned to her meal. She wasn't eating much. Her appetite hadn't fully returned over the past few days. She had been too busy to eat. She had been training by herself with occasional help from Scott on getting a grip on this new Phoenix power of hers. It was still new and she had yet to fully grasp it. But she was getting closer. She could feel it.

"Is something wrong, Jean?" asked Danielle, who was sitting next to her with a bowl of rice.

"No…I'm fine," said Jean as she tore her gaze from Emma.

"Are you sure? You still look tired. Have you had trouble sleeping? I mean, I know it's probably not easy after everything you went through, but still."

"It's not that, Danielle," she sighed, "Not completely anyways. Sleep isn't the problem. I've been caught up in other matters, training mostly."

Danielle was confused at first, but she quickly pieced it together.

"Oh…I see. You mean 'that' training," she said, "Um…how's that going if you don't mind me asking?"

"In all honesty, I don't know," said Jean, "I can't even begin to describe what it's like, trying to tap into a powerful entity like the Phoenix. It's like a tapping the energy of the sun and trying to use it in your average light bulb. And I'm the light bulb."

Danielle wasn't sure what to make of that. She had a hard enough time dealing with her own mutant powers and the ones Jean described were of an entirely different sort.

"Wow…that sounds pretty intense."

"It is," said Jean distantly, "But it's not something I can ignore. I'm sort of connected to this power. And I think I always have been. But I'm only just beginning to understand it."

"Well you were able to use it once. I'm sure you can use it again," said Danielle.

"I wish I had your confidence, but I just don't know. And the hardest part is I have to be able to wield this power. If I don't then who else will be able to fight against Selene's magic?"

It was the harsh reality that had been bothering her since she arrived. She was the only one who had a chance against Selene's sorcery. There was nobody else who even came close and that left a lot riding on her shoulders. She had to pull through for the sake of everybody. It was a position Danielle found herself in before as well. With that in mind she put her rice down and looked at Jean with a reassuring smile.

"You know, I once thought along those lines a while back," she said, "When Xavier came to me and told me I was the only one with the power to deceive Selene, I was pretty overwhelmed. He left me with a huge responsibility and if I failed at it then everybody would suffer. But I was still able to pull it off."

"And how did you manage that?" asked Jean, finding it ironic that she was getting advice from someone so much younger and inexperienced than her.

"That's just it. It was no one thing. Lord Xavier helped train me, James Poundstar helped encourage me, and Mistress Moria helped push me. In the end it was only when I allowed everything to come together that I was able to use my powers in ways I never thought I could. It wasn't just focusing on one thing. It was focusing on everything as if it were one thing. I know that may not make a lot of sense, but it really does help to put everything into perspective."

Jean thought about that for a moment. It made a lot of sense. Taking the Phoenix one aspect at a time was pretty overwhelming. She focused so much on so many things at once she really didn't have a lot of perspective. Maybe that was why it emerged back in Selene's chambers. Her perspective had been shattered so she was able to take as a whole and use it. And if she did it once then she could do it again.

As she thought it over she looked at Danielle and smiled. This girl was much stronger than her youth and inexperience let on.

"Perspective…yes, I think I understand," she said, "Thanks Danielle. Guess that's one more thing I owe you."

"You can thank me all you want after this is over. Of course by then we may be even again."

"We can only hope," said Jean.

In a sign of confidence Jean held out her hand and formed a small ball of mystical fire in the shape of a phoenix. It wasn't the most dazzling display she ever put on, but it reminded her of the power she now wielded. She still had a lot to learn, but for now she focused only on what was necessary to beat Selene. She would still have to rise to the challenge. But for the sake of perspective she looked at it merely as punishing a sadistic woman who wronged them all.

While Jean and Danielle continued to discuss the issue of power and perspective, others dwelled on more personal concerns. Pietro, Rogue, and Julian were just as mad at Selene as everybody else. But to them it wasn't just about getting back at her. It was about getting back the loved ones she stole from them. For Rogue, that woman stole her foster brother. For Julian, she stole his love interest Laura Kinney. For Pietro, that woman stole both his twin sister and his half-sister. She even stole his father, but he didn't care for him. Lorna was the one who hurt most. It affected them all on a deeper level. This woman hadn't just tortured them. She robbed them of their loved ones.

"So you really think Wanda and Kurt have been under Selene's control all this time?" asked Julian as he picked at his eggs.

"I don't think anything, Julian. I know she was influencing them," said Pietro bitterly, "I just didn't know how far it went."

"Me neither," said Rogue who stopped eating after only one sandwich, "Ah always thought when push came to shove, mah brother wouldn't resort to that woman's cruelty. Guess Ah was wrong."

"We both were," said the speedster, "Once that woman sinks her teeth into something she doesn't let go. Even if we do stop her I don't know if there's ever any going back."

Julian's expression fell at such grim prospects. If Selene's affect on people was really that permanent, then that may mean he may never get Laura back. And that was something he didn't want to consider.

"You guys aren't giving me much to work with," he muttered, "I want to believe I can save Laura, but you're both telling me that's impossible."

"I don't want to believe it either, Julian. But if that spell Selene put on Lorna is anything like the one she put on my sister, it's unlikely at best."

"Well Ah wouldn't go that far, Pietro," said Rogue, "Mah mama did say she thought she sensed a little resistance from Kurt during the whole thing. Ah didn't see it, but then again mah mama always could read him better than meh."

"What's to say that isn't just wishful thinking?"

"That don't mean it ain't true," said Rogue, "It may be improbable, but Ah wouldn't say it's impossible."

That lifted Julian's spirits somewhat. If someone like Kurt, who had been under Selene's influence for years now, could potentially break through then so could Laura. She had that kind of strength.

"So there's still a chance," said Julian.

"Maybe, but don't get your hopes up too much," warned Pietro, "You can't assume someone's spirit will win out against Selene. You have to be willing to go a step further than you would like."

"What do you mean? How much further?"

"I wish I could tell you, but I've been trying to figure that out myself for years," sighed Pietro, "And seeing as how I'm the only one left in my family who Selene hasn't taken over, it's up to me to find out. One way or another I'm going to have to fight them all, including Lorna. I may have to hurt them too. But if that's what I have to do to beat Selene's influence out of them, so be it."

Julian shifted uncomfortably. He didn't like the idea of having to fight Laura. Not was it an emotional strain, she was much tougher than him in that regard. He still was never able to beat her in a sparring match during training. But Pietro looked pretty determined to save his loved ones, even if it meant fighting them. It looked as though he was going to have to do the same.

Rogue felt it as well. She didn't like the idea of having to fight her brother either. Even though he helped Selene do all those terrible things to her, he was still her brother and she still loved him in that regard. She and Mystique hoped Kurt would be strong enough to break Selene's hold on him when the time came. They were wrong. Now they were going to have to break it for him, even if that meant using a little tough love. Pietro didn't seem to have as much a problem with it because he had little love for his father and fought constantly with Wanda already. But it was still going to be a challenge for him. It was going to be a challenge for all of them.

"You'll be okay, sugah," said Rogue with a smile, trying to encourage Julian, "If ya feel for that girl like Ah think you do, you'll do what you gotta do."

"I hope you're right, Rogue," sighed Julian, "I also hope she doesn't beat the shit out of me for it afterwards."

"That Ah can't help you with," she laughed, "But Ah'm sure she'll get over it."

Julian managed to laugh somewhat as well. It was still a daunting notion, having to face the girl he grew so close to and fight her. He wished he could just take his anger out on Selene and somehow have that fix everything, but nothing was ever easy with this woman. She had to hurt people on a deeper level. Julian was just as determined as everybody else to make her pay for what she did. But when she had control of their loved ones, no amount of punishment they gave her in one beating would be enough.

As Julian, Rogue, and Pietro continued to eat along with the others only one thing was clear. Their chance at taking another shot at Selene couldn't come soon enough. Hopefully Lord Xavier would be able to find her soon so they could go out and give her the punishment she deserved.

* * *

**Villa Sub-Levels**

The sub-level of the Island Villa were not the most advanced in the world. In fact compared to the systems they had Hellfire Manor and X-Industrial, it was downright inadequate. But in a situation like this Charles Xavier and the remainder of his Inner Circle couldn't afford to be picky. They had to use whatever they had to work with and so far it wasn't working out.

Much of the sub-levels were devoted to maintaining a secret network hub that would allow them to access other Hellfire systems around the world. Since the systems were so complex, a lot of computing power was needed and with the systems they had here it was slow going at best. But thanks to some of the backup systems Moria and Xavier put into place and some of the backdoors that Sage put in, they were able to access a few vital systems. Since they arrived they had been combing through them, trying to get a feel for what was going on. Moria looked over the networks while Xavier coordinated with a few of his secret sources back in New York.

"I see…very well, keep an eye out for anything else…don't worry, we'll be okay. Just make sure nobody finds out what happened…no, as far as the rest of the world knows, the Hellfire Club is still active. For now, make sure X-Industrial remains stable. I'll worry about the rest of our associate companies later on…thank you Jamie. I'll be in touch."

Xavier hung up his phone and turned to Scott, Warpath, Sam, Deadpool, Logan, and Mystique, who had been helping out in their search for answers. Although he suspected Deadpool was just here because he was bored.

"So what's the story, Lord Xavier? How bad is it back in New York?" asked Warpath.

"There's room for improvement. That much is certain," sighed the Black King, "According to one of my agents, Jamie Madrox, our entire power structure has been shaken. A number of spies and sources have gone rogue. And many of the companies we control are in a state of chaos. And it showed in the stock market this week."

"Bet the guys on Wall Street are shitting their pants!" laughed Deadpool.

"They're not the only ones worried. Local and federal authorities, including SHIELD and the Avengers, were drawn to the matter as well. They're investigating the ruins of the manor as we speak. Jamie said they won't be able to find anything incriminating, but if they keep asking questions they may find out more than we want them too. And we won't be able to stop them until we reassert control over the Inner Circle."

It wasn't looking good. If the Avengers or SHIELD got too involved in this affair their entire organization could be at risk. But they couldn't re-establish control as long as Selene was out there. And even if they could stop her, they couldn't wait too long or they wouldn't even be able to reform their power base again.

"I'm hoping there's some good news in all this," said Sam, who was acting somewhat as a leader representing the younger pawns.

"There is," said Charles, "Jamie managed to keep X-Industrial stable. Many of our mutant and non-mutant workers have been reassured and are still doing their parts. So when this is over, we'll still have X-Industrial as a solid building block."

"I suppose that's something. It's only fair that they do their part after you gave them all those nice jobs and all," said Mystique, "Any chance we can tap some of X-Industrial's resources?"

"We can, but it won't be much I'm afraid," said Xavier, "Selene was able to cripple much of Cerebrum's network capacity and with the rest of the organization just struggling for stability any assistance they could provide would be small at best."

"So in other words, we're on our own," surmised Logan.

"I'm afraid so."

Battling Selene was going to be hard enough, but doing it without the aid of Hellfire's vast resources was going to make it even more difficult.

"What about Selene herself? Is there any word on her yet?" asked Scott.

"None so far," said Moria, who was still typing on a network terminal, "I've been checking as much of our assets as possible from bank accounts to contacts with mercenary groups. Near as I can tell she hasn't been able to tap them. Sage managed to cut off a good chunk of her access to our resources in the same way she cut off ours."

"But that's a good thing, isn't it?" said Sam, "If we've cut her off then she may be just as crippled as we are."

"Knowing Selene, I doubt that," said Moria, "We managed to detect some attempts to access the Hellfire network. But curiously, she hasn't been going for any of our power contacts. She hasn't even tried to gain control of our bank accounts. The only thing she seems interested in now is manpower."

"Seems like a pretty bad way to try and take over everything," scoffed Logan.

"Who knows with that crazy woman?" shrugged Deadpool, "Maybe she just likes a challenge! Like those chicks who wear chains as bikinis and try to go swimming without drowning! It's kinky, but fun to watch!"

"I don't think it's about challenges," said Scott, ignoring Deadpool's obnoxious remarks, "Perhaps it just means taking over the Inner Circle wasn't her goal to begin with."

"But that doesn't make any sense," said Sam in confusion, "Why would she move against us if she didn't want to take control of the Hellfire Club?"

It was difficult to contemplate. Selene was not the most rational person in the world, but she never did anything without some larger goal in mind. They could understand her moving against them if she wanted to take over complete control of the Inner Circle, but she didn't appear to be trying very hard based on what Moria was telling them. It didn't add up unless there were other factors involved. And that was even more disturbing.

"I suppose that is the major question at hand," said Xavier, "If Selene has no interest in taking over the Hellfire Club, then what could she be up to? She's too ambitious to just lie low."

"But what power could be more tempting than controlling the Hellfire Club?" asked Warpath.

"I don't know, but we had better find out soon," said Xavier strongly, "If she isn't bothering to access Hellfire resources than that could imply she already has everything she needs. For all we know she's in the midst of carrying out her master plan."

"And I don't think anybody wants to see her succeed with that," said Scott.

"No argument here," said Logan, "Guess that leaves only one option. We gotta find that bitch and beat her before she can go any further!"

"That's easier said than done, Logan," said Moria as she brought up more visuals on the Hellfire network, "Selene is very good at covering her tracks. I can't even find the slightest trace of her or her followers. I've checked all our branches, our safe houses, and even some of our secret strongholds. Near as I can tell she's not in any of them."

"Well seeing as how we have our own private island why couldn't she have something similar?" shrugged Deadpool, "Maybe she's in some other secret tropical paradise sipping margaritas planning her next assault!"

Xavier and the others looked at Deadpool strangely. Even though he sounded like he was being sarcastic with his remarks, that didn't mean it was wrong. And coming from him that was saying something.

"As strange as that sounds, you may be right," said Scott, "But if she does have some sort of secret stronghold, how do we find it?"

"Your guess is as good as mine, Scott," said Moria as she brought up a map that had every known Hellfire stronghold on record, "There are any number of places Selene could hide. And since we don't know what her plan is, we can't narrow it down."

"Do we have ANY clues to go on?" said Sam, starting to show signs of frustration.

The pawns were getting restless and so was Xavier. None of this was making any sense. They couldn't get a lead on Selene and they couldn't access the Hellfire Club's resources. Everything was in chaos. All the order they spent years building seemed to be falling apart. But as bleak as this situation seemed, it wasn't without hope.

"I did find one anomaly that could be something," said Moria as she brought up another screen, "When Sage blew the main network hub she effectively caused all the backup systems we have littered throughout the world to kick in and lock up. But in checking them I noticed that one network didn't blow or lock up."

"How did it manage that? I thought the whole system was crashed," asked Warpath.

"This one only became active after Sage blew them. In fact it's the only part of the main network left."

"Great then, can you access it?" asked Mystique.

"That's the problem. I doubt any of us will be able to access it with our information because of where it's located and who it belongs to."

"And who might that be?" asked Scott.

"Who else? Mr. Sinister."

That didn't raise anybody's hopes. Sinister was too smart to leave open doors to his systems. Xavier and Moria always knew he had secrets and he always did a good job of hiding them. Even Sage couldn't get through and now that she was dead, they didn't have a lot of hope of cracking it before it was too late. But it was still a curious matter. If all the systems went down and reverted to backups, why didn't Sinister's? And moreover, why could they still access it?

"Guess we can safely scratch that," said Warpath, "There's no way that freak show will let us in there. He probably doesn't know anything either way."

"We can't be sure about that, Logan," said Xavier, "It is suspicious though. Sinister never usually has his systems connected to our network. And since it only became active after the manor was destroyed that could lead to one of two possibilities."

"And what is that?" asked Sam.

"Either it is some sort of fail-safe that he wanted us to find or it's something he overlooked. And knowing Sinister, I'm leaning towards the former," said Xavier.

"I'm not sure about that, Charles," said Moria, "If he wanted us to find it then why did he lock it with a password?"

She then brought up a screen with a distinct gray background, which the same color as Sinister's pale complexion so they knew it was his. It was definitely an active hub, but the only thing keeping them out was a password.

"Can't you just get around it?" asked Deadpool, "Bet Sage could do it in her sleep!"

"I'm not Sage," said Moria, "I'd need at least a few days to get around this and that's only if Sinister hasn't installed some sort of self-destruct fail-safe."

"Knowing him, he's probably got several along with backups," groaned Scott.

"Exactly, so if we don't know the password then we're still stuck."

"But we had spies on Sinister for years! Don't we have at least a clue about what it may be?" said Mystique in annoyance.

"Not many, I'm afraid," said Xavier, "I suspect this network was meant to be accessed by, Hank. And since he's dead too, we may never be able to access it."

Xavier and his pawns fell silent. He along with Moira, Scott, Warpath, Logan, Mystique, and Sam were growing frustrated and anxious. Even Deadpool seemed a little distant. He was crazy, but even he could understand the seriousness of the situation. The longer they wasted time like this the more time Selene had to carry out her plan. And that wasn't good for anybody. Ironically enough the only lead they had was from Sinister, someone who for all they knew was helping Selene. There didn't appear to be a lot of hope at this point. The Hellfire Club had overcome many of its enemies before, but Selene may prove too tenacious.

While Xavier and his pawns debated the issues at hand, Rahne stayed secluded in a corner just listening in. She didn't make any comments or anything. She couldn't focus enough to really contribute. Ever since they arrived on this island she had been distant. She couldn't stop dwelling on Hank's death. Every detail played out in her mind again and again. And when she put it into perspective it seemed so surreal. In one act he threw away all the influence Sinister ever had on him and went out of his way to save her. She knew this was no time to mourn, but something about it just wouldn't leave her.

While the others began speculating on how they could access this system, Warpath looked over and saw her sitting in her stupor just barely paying attention. He had never been one for technological discussions anyways so he found himself approaching her.

"Are you still with us, Rahne? You haven't said a word all day," he asked her.

"I'm fine. I'm just not in the mood for talk over secret networks, locked assets, or Selene."

Warpath rolled his eyes at her flat tone. He knew like everyone else that she had been pretty hurt by Hank's death. He had been hurt too by Sage's death as well, but he set his grief aside for the sake of the Hellfire Club.

"Rahne, I know you're still hurting, but you have to stop this," he said sternly, "Just sitting here and mourning Hank isn't going to stop Selene."

"I know it won't!" she exclaimed, "But I just can't stop thinking about it!"

"Well you're going to have to at some point," retorted the Apache mutant, "The Inner Circle still needs you and you need to start taking that seriously."

"I am taking it seriously," she groaned, "It's just not easy to leave something like this behind, okay?"

"You think I don't understand?" he said in a more serious tone, "I was close to Sage too and I've spent half my time here thinking about her and the sacrifice she made. She did what she did so we could go on and take Selene down! Hank did the same for you so don't make his sacrifice in vain!"

"I'm not trying to! But it's one thing to just run away while they die in an explosion and it's quite another to actually be there and hold someone's hand as they die. You would understand if you had been there holding his hand while he told you…"

Suddenly, Rahne froze. As the memory played over in her mind again, she had a revelation. The image of Hank holding her hand as he died in the ruins was more vivid than ever. But it wasn't just the emotions or intensity of the moment that stood out this time. It was what he said.

"_What do all great men leave behind?"_

Rahne's expression shifted. The distraught frustration that had taken over as a result of Warpath's comments gave way to a strange sense of irony. For the first time since this whole affair began, she actually smiled. And she didn't just smile, she laughed. Hank McCoy gave her so much in the time she knew him. Yet even in death he had one last gift to her.

"Rahne? What's wrong now? Why the hell are you smiling?" asked James Poundstar in confusion.

"Hank, you crazy and dedicated genius…" said Rahne as she got up from the corner.

The feral girl then literally shoved Warpath aside and ran up to her mother, who was still sitting at the computer terminal looking as frustrated as Xavier and the others.

"Mom, bring that access screen to Sinister's network back up!" she said.

"Why? What is it, lass?" asked Moria, surprised to see her daughter so enthused.

"It's legacy!" said Rahne strongly, "That's the password!"

"Legacy? How do you know?" asked Xavier.

"It's Hank. He was trying to tell me something before he died! His exact words were 'what do all great men leave behind?' And what's the one thing Sinister's always been trying to create?"

"A legacy…" said the Black King, "Moria, try it."

"Already on it, Charles."

With renewed hope, Moria brought the access screen to Sinister's network back up and typed in the word 'legacy' as the password. Everybody held their breath as she prepared to enter it. With a fateful click, they waited and watched. Since these systems were so slow it took a moment. But then they saw a large 'passcode accepted' signal and they were in.

"Well I'll be damned," said a flabbergasted looking Warpath.

"Guess the big fuzzy gorilla man had one more left in him. And this one didn't even smell! It's a miracle!" proclaimed Deadpool.

"Don't start celebrating yet, Deadpool," said Moria, "We still don't know if this information will even help us."

They all waited anxiously for a few minutes, watching as Moria typed feverishly on the terminal. Sinister's network wasn't the easiest system to navigate. Much of it was full of meaningless test data. But there were a few ominously marked files with a strange label on them. These peaked the interest of Xavier and Moria and they tried accessing them first. And what they saw what the files contained they were aghast.

"Charles…look at this."

"What is it? Did you find something?" asked Sam as he and the others crowded around the screen.

As Xavier took in what he saw his expression grimaced. The nature of this situation had just taken a significant turn. It had just become many times more complicated, but it may also provide to them the vital piece of information they were looking for.

"Sinister you crazy fool," mused the Black King, "What have you done?"

* * *

**Nova Roma Imperial Palace – Throne Room **

It had been days since their arrival at Nova Roma and Selene's minions had already made themselves at home. They did their part to help their mistress set up the supplies for the necessary rituals she had planned. It was more difficult and time consuming than they all would have liked, but since their access to Hellfire resources was severely restricted they had to improvise. They raided every temple in Nova Roma and every citizen who had something in their possession that could help. Their mistress told them to show no mercy or compassion for anybody and they never did. The citizens already trembled in their presence, making their jobs much easier. It was all just part of the final push to help her Mistress achieve her ultimate goal.

But when they weren't helping their Selene, they were enjoying the benefits of being Selene's special minions. At the moment they were indulging in a decadent sex ritual with a number of servants and citizens, each of whom was used for their physical beauty. Wanda set it up in the throne room. There they bound and restrained the 'participants' and had their way with them in a dominating, sadistic manner that would have made their mistress proud.

Tabitha, Monet, and Betsy each had a man strapped to a table and gagged with a dirty rag. They all embraced the sedistic teachings Selene imbued in them as they raved these helpless indiviudals. Betsy was even more fervent. She had a man restrained on a table next to Monet's and was practically tormenting the man as hse raped him., relishing the feeling of being in power for once. Even if she was still under Selene's control, at least she could still get a taste of true dominance. Moans of ecstasy filled the chamber along with groans of pain from the victims.

Suddenly, as they were raping their victims they noticed Betsy's start to choke and gag. Apparently she scratched and rode too hard. All the pain and exertion was too much for his system. The man's eyes rolled into the back of his head and he passed out, but Betsy kept riding him until she had an orgasm.

"I think you pushed that man too far, Betsy. He's out cold," commented Monet.

"Fucking weakling," said Betsy, still panting hard.

The purple hair mutant rose up from the man and turned towards some of the masked guards, who were making sure the victims stayed in line.

"You!" she said, pointing to one of them, "Get this weakling off of the table and take his place!"

The guard wordlessly nodded, knowing better than to argue with a minion of the queen. He promptly walked over, undid the shackles, and tossed the unconscious body of the hapless Nova Roman citizen aside. Then before he could disrobe, Betsy literally ripped his clothes and armor off and pinned him to the table. The man still didn't speak, too petrified of what she might do if he resisted.

"Damn, I like your style Bets!" grinned Tabitha.

"Shut up and let me fuck this brute!" she exclaimed.

Monet and Tabitha returned to their respective victims, letting Betsy go all out. She was not like the rest of them in that she seemed to care little for Mistress Selene and more about having a chance to dominate others. It showed in how she handled these rituals. But that didn't bother them so long as she did her part.

Across from the table, Warren watched on with pride. Betsy took nicely to the domination techniques he taught her. She was almost like a protégé to him. He loved watching her assert her dominance. It showed just how much she took after him. When all this was over he looked forward to sharing such experiences with her for a long time. But for now he had his own concerns. In front of him chained against the wall was a young teenage blonde they took from the citizenry. Warren had her facing away, her wrists shackled against the wall so she had to bend over. She was gagged so she couldn't beg for mercy and she bore a look of complete fear in her eyes. It was the kind of look Selene savored.

"Don't worry, I won't be as rough as my purple haired associate. But I won't be easy either," he told her.

Grabbing the woman, he started raping her. The woman whimpered and gasped, indicating she was a virgin. That was okay with Warren though. He rarely got to do this with someone untainted and it always gave him an extra dark rush that he savored for all it's worth.

Not far from his position, Roberto had another woman in a similar situation. Only she was chained to the wall in a way that she was facing him, her naked body there for him to see. This woman wasn't a virgin and she was a bit older than the woman Warren was doing, but Roberto hank-picked this one for a very special reason.

"You know, I once had a girlfriend like you," he said to her in a dark, dominating tone, "She was so beautiful, just like you are. But she was ravaged and killed because she was dating a mutant. You don't have a problem with mutants, do you?"

The woman whimpered and shook her head fearfully. Roberto grinned at her timid state. He may not have gotten his chance with Juliana, but he could have the next best thing by taking someone like her.

"Good," he taunted, "Because you're about to be fucked by one! And just to make it interesting, I think I'll call you Juliana while I do it!"

The woman closed her eyes and braced herself as Roberto grabbed her land lifted her up so she was hanging only by her wrists. Then with a firm grip on her, he started raping her. His burning grunts soon mixed with the woman's terrified groans. Seething with dark lust, he kept calling the woman by the same name as his dead girlfriend. It offered him that extra rush that he so savored. It pushed him to ravage this woman in a special way, one that left her reeling and him utterly satisfied.

While Roberto and Warren continued to go at it with their female victims, Sabretooth had been having fun in his own little corner with a number of female servants. He wasn't into the whole S&M deal that the others seemed to get off on. He preferred just stripping a woman, holding her down, and raping them until he got off. And these girls were attractive, submissive, and even a little kinky at times as most servants of Selene were. He had his way with three women since the ritual began, each of which he worked over pretty well. His healing factor allowed him to go longer than his victims to last. A couple passed out, but that was okay with him. It wasn't his fault they were so weak.

After enjoying another women, his gazed drifted over towards Laura. She was sitting with her back against the wall, stripped naked and covered in sweat. Roberto and Warren had their way with her earlier, but they seemed to get board quickly with a girl who could heal from any wound they gave her and didn't show any fear or anxiety. And since she had no free will she had no desire to join in the fun. But that didn't mean Sabretooth couldn't have some.

"Out of my way," he grunted as he tossed the naked woman.

The feral mutant then approached the distant and dazed X-23. Her expression hadn't changed since Selene took control of her. Sabretooth didn't mind that though. It just meant he wouldn't have to deal with an attitude. Grinning at her blank stare he knelt down and grabbed her by the chin.

"Look at me, bitch," he growled.

He then took in her appearance. She definitely had some of Logan's features. Her skin tone was similar and so was the color of her hair. She also had that same feral look in her eyes. There were plenty of differences though. He assumed it was something her creators threw in, whatever the story was there. But appearance aside, she was still an attractive teenage girl who just happened to have a connection with his greatest enemy. That was all the reason he needed to use her in whatever way he pleased.

"So you're Logan's clone," he said, "Can't believe someone would ever wanna clone a runt like him. At least you're not as butt ugly as him."

Laura didn't say anything. She just looked Sabretooth in the eye. Her face actually cringed somewhat, as if some latent trait of Logan's that despised Sabretooth so much was trying to get out. But her mind was still too clouded. He seemed to pick up on this and grinned sadistically as he traced his clawed hands down her young body.

"I figure I'll get another shot at that runt. But in the meantime I can still screw him over by screwing his little pet," he growled with a sadistic grin.

Her expression cringed again, but she still complied. Laura rose up from her seated position and did as he ordered. Sabretooth grinned as he leered over her vulnerable form, raking his claw-like nails over her body. He hoped after all this was over Selene would let him keep this girl. She would make a nice play thing for him. With a feral growl he grabbed Laura, digging his claws into her flesh, and started raping her. He let out a dominating howl as soon as he started ravaging her. He was forceful, rough, and fairly violent at times. But Laura could take it. Her healing would allow him to enjoy her for much longer than the other woman. It was just like he liked it. Driven by hatred and lust Sabretooth continued to go all out, savoring every moment.

Through it all Laura did nothing to resist, allowing Sabretooth to have his way with her. He kept going hard and fast, tearing at her flesh and testing the limits of her healing factor. When he climaxed in her, she grimaced slightly. Even in her controlled state she was sickened by it. But Sabretooth didn't even slow down. If anything he got even rougher with her, raping her with more force and hatred every step of the way. This was pain and humiliation on a whole new level, but Laura continued to take it in her submissive state. There was nothing she could do to stop it. Sabretooth didn't know that with every vile act he was stirring the instinct inside her that was fighting to regain control. It was still weak, but it was definitely growing. And so long as it stayed weak, Sabretooth would have her as much as he wanted.

While Sabretooth and the other minions indulged in their victims, dominating and controlling them with a relentless fervor, Alex and Lorna were in their own area enjoying a more intimate ritual. Having had his fill of raping and dominating Selene's enemies Alex sought something different with Lorna. He wasn't like many of the other minions who favored using such sadism in these rituals. He didn't mind being rough, but he preferred something more meaningful at times. Even after Selene brought him into the darkness, he still got a powerful feeling whenever he slept with Lorna. And part of the reason why he wanted to have her on their side was because he wanted to keep that feeling.

For her, he set up a nice little rug in a corner near some of the candle stands. There he and Lorna had been indulging in an intimate ecstasy. They had been going at it for a while now. Alex didn't even bother starting off with some of the girls they brought in and he didn't want any of the men to taint his love. So he focused all his attention on her, embracing her as he made her moan in euphoria. They had coupled twice already, but they were still going strong. Every time thier bodies moved together they shared moans of euphoria. This powerful feeling surged through him every time he felt their flesh clash. It was intoxicating and profound.

As they made love, Alex gazed into Lorna's dazed expression. She had that submissive look that dominated all those who were controlled by Selene. But in that daze he saw the love that she instilled in her. And that love, even though it was driven heavily by magic, was focused solely on him. It was a love he shared on some levels, but it was a dark love that had been consumed by Selene's influence. To Alex, it wasn't just about mutual affection or intimacy. It was about controlling this feeling and enjoying it. And if it meant pushing Lorna a little and altering her will, so be it.

"That's right, Lorna. You're mine now. Our love will be forever bonded by darkness," he whispered to her in a soft yet dark tone, "Soon the world will know this darkness as well. And we'll be able to savor this feeling for many years to come."

Lorna was too dazed to respond. She was too dazed to even think about what he was saying. All she could think about was Alex and embracing this dark love they shared. And if he said this was how it was going to be from now on then so be it.

Still fueled by the power of the ritual, Alex then laid Lorna down on her back and began yet another round of sexual ecstasy. The others continued their parts as well. Sabretooth continued to ravage Laura. Tabitha, Betsy, and Monet continued to ravage their male prisoners. And Roberto and Warren kept ravaging their female victims. Groans of ecstasy and groans of pain echoed through the walls of the throne room. Selene's minions indulged in dominated, letting the darkness guide them to their ultimate desires.

Yet as this orgy of darkness was going on, one of them was not a very active participant. Kurt Wager had been keeping to himself, sitting off to the side with Wanda. She was the one who was carrying out the ritual, using the magic Selene taught her to drive the other minions and their victims into a sexual fervor. She participated herself in some areas, taking a man and having sex with him at the head of the throne room until he passed out. Afterwards she focused primarily on using the sexual energy seething throughout the room to enhance the spell. But she eventually noticed Kurt's lack of enthusiasm.

"Why aren't you participating, Kurt? You've yet to ravage a single woman," asked Wanda as her eyes glowed with mystical energy.

"Sorry, my love. But I haven't been able to get in zhe mood," he said distantly.

"Oh why not? You always enjoy our little rituals. You play your role of sex demon so well," she grinned.

"I just can't stop zhinking about Mistress Selene and zhe children. I feel as though ve should be helping her and Sinister."

"Oh stop worrying about that," scoffed Wanda, "Mistress Selene was clear. We are not to be present during Sinister's final round of experiments, less he get too suspicious. That's why she had me organize this little 'activity' in the first place."

"Vhy vouldn't she vant us present?" he questioned, "One of zhose children is ours, you know?"

Wanda rolled her eyes. Kurt had been bringing that up ever since they got here and it was starting to annoy her. He usually never had any opinions that weren't hers. Perhaps she needed to refresh the spell she had over him.

"Kurt, I'm tired of having this conversation. Mistress Selene told us not to get too close to those babies. They're to play a vital role in her plans and we are not to interfere."

"I know and I have no desire to interfere vith our mistress. But still, can you honestly say you don't feel something for a child bearing our blood?"

"How can I feel something when I didn't even know Sinister created it?" scoffed Wanda, "It's not like we made it the old fashioned way."

"I know, but still…zhat is our child. And ve don't even know vhat Selene has planned for it. Should ve not be close to it no matter vhat may come of it?"

"We should only do what Mistress Selene tells us. That's all there is to it," said Wanda sternly, "Just drop it, Kurt. I don't want to have this conversation again. Understand?"

Her words were strong and forceful. And for Kurt, whenever he heard it to him it was like getting an order from a god. He had to obey it. And as uncertain as he was about this, he lowered his head and conceded to his love's request.

"Yes, my love."

"Good," said Wanda, "Now either strip and join the ritual or go find some other way to amuse yourself. We're to stay put until Mistress Selene gives us the word."

Kurt nodded respectfully and did a she asked. He took off his clothes and joined in the ritual, taking a nearby female servant and laying her down on the floor near the area where Wanda was casting her spells. Without any hint of expression or emotion, he began having sex with the woman just as the others were. But his mind continued to dwell on the issue of the children. Even if his love told him not to bring it up, that didn't mean he would be able to stop thinking about it. The issue continued to linger over him. But he wouldn't know what to do until he learned what Mistress Selene had planned.

Soon, it would all come together. Their mistress would carry out the final act of her plan and bathe the world in darkness. Then it wouldn't just be Nova Roma where they could dominate, desecrate, and indulge in their every hedonistic desire. The whole world would be their victim. The whole world would be their slaves. And it would all be guided by Selene. Soon she wouldn't just be their mistress. She would be their god.

* * *

**Nova Roma Imperial Palace – Sinister's Lab**

While most of Selene's minions indulged in a sex ritual up in the throne room, Selene was working with Sinister on the final step of his experiments. She had an army of Nova Roman servants and scientists working night and day helping to set up his equipment. It didn't go as fast as she would have wanted because she couldn't access many Hellfire resources in wake of the manor's destruction. She cursed Charles Xavier for cutting her off, but it would only delay her plans and not stop them.

Once everything was set up the only challenge was providing enough power. Since Nova Roma didn't have the most advanced power system in the world, they had to improvise in order to power his elaborate machines. This was where Magneto came in. His mutant powers provided a boost to the antiquated generators in the palace. In his mindless state he fit the role of living battery well, but Sinister was still less than thrilled.

This was by far the most important part of the experiment thus far. It took nine months for these children to develop and it was just recently they were able to finally survive for long periods outside an incubator. They all had the pieces he needed to create his perfect mutant species. But in their current state he could not extract that information. To that he had to activate their mutant powers early. It was dangerous and risky, but he just needed it active on the DNA level. That way he could get what he needed. To do that he was going to give them a dose of radiation. Much of the equipment Selene loaded from his lab was a special apparatus that would generate such radiation in a concentrated, finely tuned manner. But in these surroundings such advanced equipment was hard to manage.

"Damn it, Selene! Can you get that mindless fool to watch the power levels? He's going to overload them!" he exclaimed as he made the final adjustments on one of the panels.

"Will you stop complaining and hurry up already!" shot Selene as she paced restlessly, "This experiment was supposed to begin hours ago!"

"It would have begun much sooner if you had just shipped those components I specified!"

"Don't try to blame this on me! It's not my fault Charles Xavier shut us out of Hellfire's system! I could barely get what was left of my elite guard down here, let alone your bulky machines!"

"Funny, wasn't it your responsibility to kill that man in the first place?" quipped Sinister.

For a man as smart as him, he was really pushing his luck with her. Luckily, she wouldn't need him much longer. They just had to get through this and he would be of no more use to her.

"Enough of this blaming! Are you ready or not?!" exclaimed the Black Queen.

Sinister did one last diagnostics on a small hand-held computer. These weren't ideal settings for such an experiment, but he was out of options and he was too close to his goal to turn back now. After going over all the systems they seemed okay. He would have liked to be a bit more attentive to detail, but around this woman that wasn't possible.

"It's ready," he told her, "Clear all your men out. We'll begin in five minutes."

"Finally," she groaned as she turned to her servants and workers, "All of you out! And nobody comes back in until I say so!"

The servants and workers timidly nodded, each getting out of the room as fast as they could. They knew their queen had little patience and a quick temper. And they weren't about to test her now during this vital stage.

Once everyone was out, Selene sealed the doors and joined Sinister at the main console. Magneto was still present powering the generators, showing signs of fatigue as he kept the power flowing. Sinister worked fast, not willing to accept anything short of success. He activated the main programs on the console and brought up the scanners so he could verify that the process worked.

The apparatus itself was composed of four large panels that resembled solar panels. They were rectangular in shape and covered in a grayish white coating that had special pores to allow the radiation to pour through. They were all linked into several large nuclear capacitors where the radiation was generated and processed. And each was synched up with a series of command consoles which Sinister controlled from a master panel. The rest of the equipment contained the programs that scanned the DNA of the children to make sure their mutant powers were active. They were built right into the panels and the data was fed in from the incubators containing the children. They were all sedated for the process and set up in a neat cluster between the panels. They had no idea what they were a part of, but it was certain to be an important part of their brief lives.

"I'm powering up the generators now," said Sinister as he entered the proper commands, "In order to activate the mutant genes they need to be hit with just the right amount of radiation. Since they're only infants the margin for error is very narrow. Too much and they will die and too little the genes won't manifest and they'll be too weak to endure another round."

"Then you had best make this count," said Sinister, "Spare me the rest of the science jargon and get on with it already."

"Very well," he said, "But remember our deal, Selene. After I complete this, I'll help you re-establish control over the Hellfire Club's resources and my obligations will be met. Then just give me the keys to a jet and I'll be on my way."

"You don't need to remind me, Sinister," she said with a dark grin, "I know the bargain. I still need you and you still need me. Just do your part and we'll all get what we desire."

"Be sure that I do," said Sinister.

After typing in the final command, the system started up and the panels began to glow in a bright blue halo. The infants rested silently in the incubators, remaining still and unmoving as a loud hum echoed throughout the room. Sinister adjusted the dials, keeping a close eye on genetic scanners to make sure they were reading properly. The radiation hadn't been released yet, but once it did he had to stay focused. He would only have one chance with this so he had to make sure the radiation wasn't on for too long or not enough. It would be a matter of reaction time and careful execution. Over a hundred years of hard work and planning was about to come together. This was it.

"Okay…panels charged," said Sinister, "Here comes the radiation."

Selene stepped back, watching on with intent. Sinister then flicked the switch. There was a slight spark from the panels. The glowing aura intensified as a wave of energy poured through. More sparks followed in the surrounding metal components. The lights flickered and the generators started making a strange thumping noise. Selene didn't like how it sounded, but Sinister remained focused. He carefully watched the genetic scanner, keeping a close eye on every one of the children.

It felt like it went on forever even though it lasted a mere two minutes. The panels continued glowing and the thumping noise in the generators intensified. Magneto, who was helping to power this whole thing was starting to show signs of exhaustion. Several times the power flickered, but he kept going at the orders of Selene.

"Do not let up, Magneto! I don't care if it kills you, just keep that power going!" commanded Sinister.

"How much longer? Are these noises normal?" demanded Selene.

"No, but that's what you get when you're stuck with antiquated machinery. Now please be quiet for the most important part of the procedure!"

Selene backed off, still not liking the noises the generators were making. She cursed Charles Xavier for cutting off her access to other Hellfire resources. If this failed because of him she would not rest until he died a million painful deaths. She didn't like that so much was riding on the shoulders of Mr. Sinister, but she had no choice. She needed this man to succeed in order for her plans to succeed.

It was going up on three minutes. More sparks followed and there were some warning alerts on a couple of generators. It didn't sound like they would hold out much longer. But Sinister remained calm and focused, his eyes never leaving the screen.

"Come on…come on…just a little bit longer," he said intently.

It sounded as though the generators were about to fail and Magneto was about to pass out. Then finally, he saw it. The scanners were picking up X-gene activity. The mutant DNA of his infant creations had become active. The procedure had worked.

"It's working! The DNA is activating!" he exclaimed.

He reacted quickly, shutting off the radiation and with an emergency panel and de-activating the power feed. But at that point, the generators gave out and so did Magneto. Two large sparks arced over from the panels and the generators shorted out. It caused the lights to go completely off for a moment until the backup generators kicked in. But Sinister's eyes never left the command terminal. His normally stoic expression became one of exuberance. His children had officially reached the next stage.

"What's going on, Sinister?! What happened?!" said Selene in a fit of anger.

"The machines gave out," he said in a calm tone, "A predictable outcome."

"They gave out?! Don't tell me that means your experiment failed!"

"The machines aren't important. The results are only important. The machines did their part. The scanners prove it. The mutant DNA in the children is officially active!"

Sinister smiled with pride as he ran out from the console and over to the incubators where his sleeping children resided. He placed his hand over them and took in his accomplishment.

"My children…they are ready for the final step!" he proclaimed.

Selene grinned with intent as she walked up behind him, taking a small relic out of her glove in the process.

"So then…the experiment was a success?" she asked intently.

"Yes, the outcome is just as I predicted!" said Sinister proudly.

"That's all I needed to know."

Suddenly, Sinister felt Selene slap her hand against the back of his neck and jam something into his pale flesh. The next thing he knew his unique body chemistry was completely paralyzed. A strange red halo of energy consumed him and a blinding wave of pain surged through him unlike anything he had ever felt before.

"Auuuuuuugggggghhhhhhhhhh! Selene! What is this?!" he demanded.

"What does it look like, Sinister? I'm changing the terms of our deal," said Selene snidely, "You really didn't think I needed you that badly to regain Hellfire's resources? Please, I don't even need the Hellfire Club anymore! My plans are MUCH more ambitious!"

"Errrrrrrrrrr you traitorous witch!"

"I'd watch your mouth if I were you, Sinister. I can make this much more painful than it already is."

Sinister should have seen it coming. Selene was not the kind of woman to stay true to her word. She was a lying, deceitful tyrant. He never expected her to give him everything she promised, but he had no idea she would turn on him at this point. He tried to adapt his body chemistry to overcome whatever it was she was using against him. But he was unable to tap his abilities. Whatever this force was, it must be one of her spells. And magic was something he could not overcome.

"Have you ever heard of the blood stones?" Selene said in a taunting tone as she leered over him while he convulsed in agony, "It was said that the blood stones were forged by the very fires of hell. The dark lords themselves used them to inflict untold terror on the damned. But then one day a rogue demon swiped them and tried to use them in the world of the living. He failed to understand the rules of magic and power and was eventually destroyed by champions of light. But before the demon was vanquished, he cut up the blood stones and scattered them throughout the world."

"Errrrrrrrahhhhhhhhhhhh!" exclaimed Sinister as he fell back and crashed into one of the radiation panels.

"It was said that the blood stones had the power to create in the world of the living the same kind of fiery wasteland that reigns supreme in realm of Hell. But nobody has ever been able to unlock such power within the stones…nobody until now."

With the energy still surging through him, causing untold pain within Sinister, Selene grabbed him by the neck and held him up so she could look him in his dark red eyes.

"When I founded this kingdom, I founded it upon the sight where I found the first blood stone. I used it to expand my power to new levels. Even after they exiled me, I made sure the stone's power would never be wielded by anybody but me. And over the years I collected other pieces. The last one was attained when I took control of the Hand. Now I have all the pieces. All that's left is to unleash their full power. And to do that I need to perform a little ritual that requires a special kind of blood sacrifice."

Then in a taunting gesture she carried the pained Sinister over to the incubators housing the children. She then had him look down upon them while she affectionately smiled at them.

"And you just provided me with that special sacrifice. I need blood that is innocent and unique. I figured the blood of your little children would do nicely."

"Errrrrrrrrrrrr nooooooooooo!" exclaimed Sinister.

"YES!" proclaimed Selene as she set Sinister down and pulled him to within inches of her face, "You've just provided me the final piece I need to garner ultimate power! I've waited centuries for this chance! You think this pitiful world needs to evolve? I say it needs to devolve! When I'm through, this whole world will be bathed in blood and darkness! And you helped make it happen! I would say thanks, but you know I'm never one for gratitude!"

The glowing aura around Sinister's body brightened as he went completely ridged. His eyes bulged out as his face became frozen in a state of complete and utter torment.

"But since you did help me, I won't let you go unrewarded. I'll merely keep you frozen in place, eternally damned to a life in limbo. And I'll make sure you enter your eternal sleep with the full knowledge that you helped plunge the whole world into complete darkness!"

This woman's capacity for evil truly knew no bounds. He wanted to evolve life on this world. She wanted to plunge it into darkness. And he helped her do it. He suddenly felt his body change shape. Starting from his feet to his fingertips, everything was becoming hard and stone-like. Sinister tried to fight it, but it was no use. He could feel his body and mind giving out. Everything was fading away. The only thing he could see was Selene's taunting leer. It was truly a cruel fate even for him.

But he refused to be the one that allowed her to carry out her dark wishes. If she was going to screw him over like this then the least he could do with his final breath was return the favor. Thankfully, by killing him like this she was sealing her fate. And before he drew his last breath he had one final message for her.

"You will fail."

Selene scoffed as she watched the last of his body turn to stone. Now Sinister was just a statue, lifeless and still never to taunt or annoy her again. She was tempted to just shatter it, but it might serve better as a trophy to her grand triumph. Reaching behind, she retrieved the small part of the blood stone she used to carry out this spell. It was pretty potent, but for Sinister she didn't want to take any chances.

"So long you blathering fool," she said to the statue, "You've served your purpose."

Selene then turned to the children, all of whom were still sleeping soundly. She smiled as she trailed her hand over the glass. It was amazing how everything she had worked for now came down to these twelve infants. They were the final piece she had been waiting for. With them she could finally seize the power she craved. It was only a matter of putting it all together.

"Rest easy, little ones. Your destiny is nearly at hand. Soon, you will help usher in a new era…one that I shall reign over as a true immortal should. The time of balanced rule between good and evil is about to end. Now darkness shall reign supreme!"

* * *

**Up next: Xavier and his pawns make preparations for the battle against Selene.**

**AN: It's all winding down and I'm pushing hard to make this worth it. Remember, this may be it for me. I really want this to finish strongly so your feedback is important. Thanks again to all those who have continued to read this. It has helped me a great deal through this difficult time.  
**


	16. Outrage and Anger

**New Blood  
Chapter 16: Outrage and Anger**

* * *

**Secret Hellfire Island Villa – Sub-levels **

The pawns gathered in the sub-levels after hearing an urgent message from Lord Xavier. Jean, Rogue, Pietro, Bobby, Jubilee, Kitty, Piotr, Julian, Danielle, Remy, Emma, and Ororo all made their way down with high expectations. He said they made a breakthrough, something they had all been waiting for since they arrived. These past few days had been a blur. They all knew sooner or later they would get a break on Selene. Now they had it.

But when they arrived down in the sub-levels, they noticed an angry expression on everybody's face. Scott, Warpath, Sam, Rahne, Logan, and Mystique all looked upset if not a little grim. They clearly saw something that was not pleasant, which was never a good sign when dealing with Selene. Xavier and Moria looked more serious than angry. Moria was still at the console while Xavier was pacing restlessly. Rahne was also somewhat silent as she sat next to Deadpool. And even he was quiet, something that was downright rare if not a little disturbing. But it did heighten everybody's curiosity.

"What's going on, Scott? What did you find out?" asked Jean, who sensed many of these angry feelings.

"You'll see," muttered Scott, "But I should warn you it isn't going to be pleasant."

Jean shifted at his warning. Scott was never one for exaggerations and she had every reason to believe him in this instance. She, like everybody else, was restless and ready to get some answers. But there was a distinctly ominous feel to this situation.

"Thank you all for coming so quickly," said the Black King, "Please take a seat. You'll be needing it."

"Why? How bad is it?" asked Piotr.

"Are we already too late?" asked Jubilee, "Has Selene already won?"

"Slightly more complicated than that, Jubilee," said Warpath, "But trust us when you say you'll want to sit down for this."

Everybody did as the Black King suggested. But they already didn't have a good feeling about this. Xavier could sense it. This wasn't going to be easy, but it had to be done. He turned towards Moria and nodded, letting her know it was time. He then took a deep breath and addressed his loyal pawns.

"As you're all well aware, Moria and I have been coordinating with our dwindling resources to locate Selene and uncover what she's up to. It hasn't been easy. The destruction of Hellfire Manor and Selene's betrayal has frozen much of our assets. We have limited access to our money, our manpower, and our communication networks. And what few agents I have left have revealed that with the exception of X-Industrial, many of our contacts are beginning to break away."

"That much we've all assumed, Lord Xavier," said Pietro, "But what does this have to do with Selene?"

Xavier turned towards Moria, who brought up a few screens on the terminal that showed a list of their locked assets. The list was pretty vast, but there was more to it than just its size.

"Like I said earlier, Pietro. It's more complicated than we imagined," said the Black King, "I long assumed that Selene would eventually move against me. I assumed her plan was to overtake my network and assert herself as the sole authority in the Inner Circle, thereby giving her complete control of all of the Hellfire Club's resources."

"And by default, the world," added Bobby.

"Indeed," said Xavier, "But it appears I was wrong in my assumption. Selene had no interest in taking over the Hellfire Club. She seems to have more ambitious plans."

"How is that possible?" asked Rogue, "What's more ambitious than taking control of the Hellfire Club?"

"And how do you we know this isn't what she's after?" added Piotr.

Moria stepped in to take this one.

"Because she hasn't even tried," she said as she brought up other screens, "She hasn't made a single attempt to reassert control over the Hellfire Club's resources. All she's been doing is try to access some limited resources, namely manpower and transportation. She hasn't even touched the money, the connections, or even controlling interests in a single company we own. She never even tried to set up shop in another branch of the Hellfire Club."

It was a strange revelation, but the numbers didn't lie. Moria brought up the logs to the network to prove it. It just left everybody even more confused than before.

"But this doesn't make any sense," said Kitty, "Why would she go to all this trouble to overthrow us and not reap the rewards?"

"That's something we're all still trying to ascertain, Kitty," said Xavier, "But thankfully, we received an important clue from a very unlikely source."

Xavier turned towards Moria again and nodded. This was where it got even more complicated. He watched as she accessed the secret network set up by Sinister with the password Rahne uncovered. He then brought up some disturbing images that made everybody's stomach churn. They looked like schematics of bio tanks with babies inside. There were also genetic profiles on every one of them all neatly laid out in a way that they all would have expected from someone as meticulous as Sinister. But that wasn't the most disturbing part.

"What the…" said Julian as he and the others looked at the screens.

"What you're looking at are secret files compiled by Mr. Sinister in a secret network that was independent from the rest of the Hellfire Club's computer resources until a few days ago. It documents a hidden agenda that Sinister has been working on for quite some time now. And I'm sorry to say it's an agenda that has many of you caught up in it."

"Always knew that creep was up to something," said Kitty, "But what's this got to do with Selene?"

Xavier turned towards Scott and the others who already knew the truth. This was going to be the hardest part to digest, but everybody needed to hear this.

"We weren't exactly sure, but then about an hour ago a hidden file was mysteriously unlocked within the network. It appeared to be some sort of specifically encrypted code that would only be unlocked if the network detected a specific signal. Somehow a signal was sent out and the file that emerged was a short video clip. And without getting into too great a detail, I feel this is something you have to see for yourself. But again, I warn you what you're about to see won't be pleasant."

"Don't worry, Lord Xavier. We're used to it by now," said Julian.

"Bet he'll feel differently after he sees this," snickered Deadpool.

"Quiet, Wade!" growled Rahne, "Save your jokes for later or I'll claw your vocal chords out!"

Deadpool innocently shrugged and fell silent as Moria accessed the file. It took a moment because the file was quite large, but once it loaded they were all greeted with the ominous sight of Mr. Sinister. He appeared to be in some sort of lab that wasn't the one they knew back at X-Industrial. And behind him they saw some strange looking machines they had never seen him with before. They were never particularly fond of this man for his sinister nature, but if he was caught up with Selene then this situation was every bit as grave as the Black King implied. With that in mind they sat and listened as the video played.

"_Greetings to whomever I may be addressing at the moment. If somehow you have been able to access this video then my greatest fears have been realized. Selene, the Black Queen, has betrayed me. As you watch this I am most likely dead or worse. This special network which I have gone to great lengths to keep secure and secret is specially linked to my vitals. If at any time they fail, this file will become active. And as such, this information will reveal to you that which you need to confront and hopefully defeat Selene. If that woman is willing to betray me then I am willing to do the same. So please listen as I reveal to you that which I have been working on all this time."_

He almost sounded sad, which nobody thought was possible with this man. But he did confirm one major suspicion.

"So Sinister was helping Selene? I knew it!" said Ororo definitively, "There's no limit to how low he'll sink!"

"You don't know the half of it," said Sam, "Keep watching. You'll see."

The pawns watched as the video screen was split briefly into an area where Sinister set up some charts and graphs. They all looked like genetic profiles and they were all related to them.

"_For the past five years, Hank and I have been working on a way to synthesize a new species more advanced than any mutant or human. It was my hope that this new species will weed out the corrupt and the weak that have ravaged this world for too long. But to do so I required more than just the advanced technology granted to me by the Hellfire Club. I needed mutants of the right genetic potential. Because it is only through mutation and propagation that a new species can emerge and take over. Normally it takes thousands if not millions of years, but I found a way to speed it up. I took genetic samples from all the advanced mutants that joined the Inner Circle. And I used them as the base for my boldest experiment yet."_

That was the first major shock for the pawns. Sinister hadn't just been doing experiments on the side. He was using their blood to carry it out behind their backs. It stirred the anger of all the pawns.

"That crazy psycho used OUR DNA for his experiments?!" exclaimed Kitty.

"He did more than that," muttered Logan, "You'll see."

The others fell silent as they watched on. They noticed in the area next to Sinister a brief animation came up. It looked like it was depicting the combining or synthesis of two different DNA strands. As it played out Sinister explained it.

"_Upon acquiring the necessary samples from Xavier's pawns, I had Hank map and synthesize all of them. I then did tests to see which combinations of DNA would create the greatest potential. I made sure every combination had a part of the advanced strand I synthesized. Once I knew those combinations. I proceeded with the next step. I went about combining the DNA strands, but unfortunately the only way to produce viable material was to create living organisms that I could work with. That means I needed offspring. And that's where the pawns once again contributed."_

Every one of the pawns shifted uncomfortably when Sinister said the word 'offspring.' They all knew what it implied, but not what it could lead to. That's when they saw another graphic form on the video, which more or less confirmed what they feared.

"_To create these offspring I combined the specific combinations of DNA I needed into unfertilized eggs I extracted from the female Hellfire pawns. I then used sperm from the men to fertilize them, but before the embryo started developing I replaced the DNA with my specific combinations. Then under the guise of more cosmetic surgery, I implanted them in the wombs of the women. From there I let them grow for about two months. Then when they came back in for a checkup, I removed the fetuses and placed them in bio tanks. I made sure the women had no idea they were pregnant."_

A heavy silence fell over the room. Every pawn in the room, especially the women, tensed with anger. Now they understood what Xavier and the others meant when they said they weren't going to like this. They had all been suspicious of Sinister and nobody had any real affection for that man. But to learn that he took their DNA and used it to create children from it was beyond mortifying. It made them all feel almost as violated as they had after Selene had tortured them. This predicament was bad enough, but now it was on a whole new level.

"That…that son of a bitch!" exclaimed Rogue.

"He impregnated us?!" exclaimed Jean, "He used as surrogates without even telling us! All so he could do his fucking experiments?!"

"It was more than an experiment," said Mystique, who was trying to calm Rogue down, "It was all part of his agenda. He was planning it before any of you even got here."

"So that's it? He just used us as tools for his sick agenda?!" exclaimed Kitty.

"As mortified as I am by such actions, I'm afraid it's true," said Xavier, "The data in his network confirms it. I'm sorry for all of you, but these are the lengths Sinister is willing to go to."

The pawns couldn't stay seated any longer. Moria stopped the video so they could have a moment to digest this. Even in a place like the Hellfire Club, it wasn't every day they found out they had become parents in some bizarre science experiment by a madman. Some of the women found themselves placing their hands over their wombs, knowing a child had been growing in there only to be taken away Sinister. It left them outraged and bitter in a way that was right up there with Selene's cruelty.

"That's it! I was willing to accept that nobody would come near Selene's cruelty, but Sinister has just proven me wrong!" said Jubilee.

"So…we really were really pregnant without knowing it?" said Danielle, who still couldn't wrap her head around this, "Did that mean that stomach bug that went around a while back was just a cover?!"

"It seems likely," said Warpath with a grim tone, "It was how he covered his tracks."

"Typical," muttered Julian, "So if he used our DNA, that means we're all technically parents?"

"There's nothing technical about it, Julian," said Scott, "He said he used all our DNA."

"So then which kid belongs to who?!" exclaimed Pietro.

"Would you really want to know? It might not be with someone you like," commented Remy.

"Shut up, Cajun!" said Pietro as he lunged towards the Cajun, forcing Ororo to step in and break them up.

"Easy, Pietro! Let's not start another fight!" she said.

"That's easy for you to say when he probably didn't impregnate you and take the baby!" said Rogue.

This was starting to get out of hand. The pawns were outraged and rightly so, but they couldn't afford to have this break out into a fight.

"All of you calm down!" ordered the Black King, "I know you're all upset about this, but that's no reason to start fighting one another! You're all still Inner Circle! And you will act as such regardless of this revelation! Understand?"

Many of the pawns fell silent and held their heads low before their king. Xavier's stern and authoritative poise made them all stop and take a deep breath. This was a lot to take in. They were all officially parents and didn't even know about it. Even with their conditioning, it was a lot to take in and left them with many questions.

"But wouldn't there have been some clue as to what was going on?" asked Emma, "Why couldn't Sage hack it out or something?"

"That, Emma, is where Sinister had help," said Moria, "I know ye all are really angry about this, but ye need to watch the rest of this. It's important."

Despite their distraught state of mind, the pawns managed to calm down and watch as Moria started the video again. Nobody liked looking at Sinister now after finding out what he did to them, but it was still not over. There were more secrets to be revealed.

"_It was around this time that I began working closely with Selene, the Black Queen. She got wind of my secret operations and threatened to reveal them to Charles Xavier, who would have surely shut down my experiments. I could not have that so I made a deal with her. She agreed to use her magic to deceive the rest of the Inner Circle and provide me with additional resources. In return, she would keep her silence and I agreed to help her with her plans. She never told me the exact extent, but she said they involved overthrowing Charles Xavier. And I was completely in favor of it. But I was not so naïve to think that she would not betray me."_

To the side of Sinister's image, a new animation came up. It was an image of one of the infants created using the DNA of the pawns. Many tensed upon seeing it, but continued to listen closely.

"_As part of a failsafe, I had Hank create a special protocol using the DNA of the infants. In each child there is a small, but powerful bio-electric transmitter. It is implanted within the arm of each specimen. This transmitter sends out a powerful signal that can be picked up and traced to anywhere in the world. To access this signal, there is a program within this network. That program will allow a user to pinpoint the exact location of each infant to within a foot. And I've specially calibrated the signal to be capable of penetrating any shields, mystical or otherwise. And wherever the children are, Selene is most likely nearby. I know this because she had a strange interest in my work from the beginning. I suspect she might want to use the children for her own ends. And I refuse to let that happen!"_

As much as everybody hated Sinister for what he did, there was a distinct sense of intent in his tone. It seemed as though he actually cared for these children as more than just specimens. That or he just didn't want Selene living off the fruits of his labor. Whatever the reason, he just revealed a vital tool that they could use to find Selene.

"_I'm not sure who is viewing this video right now. But I figure there is a strong possibility that Charles Xavier may be watching at some point. If that is the case I have but one request. Stop Selene! I know you and I have little fondness for one another. You and your pawns should know I still loathe you on the deepest of levels. But my hatred for Selene is much stronger just as I'm sure it is for you. I understand that my goal now is all but impossible with my death. But I have no desire to see Selene succeed in whatever she has planned."_

It was odd seeing that level of sincerity in this man. Even a man as sick as him hated Selene and everything she stood for. The pawns watched as his expression shifted once more. They could sense he knew that these may be his final words.

"_I've been alive long enough to know that there are just some people in this world that are too dark to be contained. They can't be reasoned with or dealt with. They will stop at nothing until they make the world around them every bit as dark as they are. For that reason, I ask to whoever is watching this to use this program to find the children and stop Selene. Use whatever means you must. Show no mercy to this woman. She deserves the worst of whatever punishment you give her. This is my final wish. I am confident you will do whatever is necessary. This is Nathanial Essex. Good luck. You'll need it."_

That marked the end of the soon as it was over the program he mentioned came up, providing a full map of the world and a tracer program that would point them in the direction they needed. It gave them all mixed feelings. They hated Sinister for using them like this and yet he was providing them the key information they needed in order to find Selene. And by fighting her, they were carrying out his final wishes. These were strange times and they just kept getting stranger.

"Damn, well shove a barrel of lard in my mouth and call me Oprah because this fucked up!" commented Deadpool.

"I never thought I'd ever say this, but that's putting it lightly Deadpool," said Ororo.

"So in essence we're not just stopping Selene. We're also trying to save those children Sinister created…our children," said Jean.

"You are correct, Jean," said the Black King, "And Sinister has provided us with the tools we need. It's a good thing too because based on where the signal is coming from, we never would have found her otherwise."

"Why is that? Where is that bitch located?" said Pietro.

Moria activated the program and ran the tracing mechanism she had already run earlier. It caused a series of red dots to appear in a concentrated area on the map. Then with a few additional commands, the map zoomed in on the area which seemed centered on a place around South America.

"According to Sinister's program, Selene and the children are in Nova Roma."

"Nova what?" said Julian, "Where the hell is that?"

"It's nowhere you've heard of I assure ye," said Moria, "Nova Roma is a secret hidden kingdom located deep within the Amazon that was founded by the last vestiges of the old Roman Empire. For nearly 2,000 years they've been living isolated, maintaining their old Roman traditions and rarely traveling to the outside world."

"A secret kingdom run in the tradition of Ancient Rome?" said Bobby, "Somehow I'm not as surprised as I should be."

"But why would Selene go there of all places?" asked Piotr.

"Because…she helped found it," answered Xavier, "And for a time she ruled over the kingdom as a queen."

That was a surprising yet disturbing thought. The idea of Selene ruling any kingdom, secret or otherwise, didn't sit well. It also showed just how little they knew about this woman. Even as they worked under her as pawns all these years, they never dug too deeply into her past. Few wanted to know what made a woman such as her as cruel as she was.

"Well that explains why it would remain hidden," said Sam, "But how do you know about it, Lord Xavier?"

Xavier sighed and took a deep breath. He had done a number of questionable things in his rise to power and there were few he thought twice about. But there was one that constantly stood out.

"Like I said, for a time she ruled over Nova Roma. But shortly after it's founding her people rose up and kicked her out."

"No surprise there," said Mystique, "I'm surprised they didn't kill her."

"Believe me, they tried," said Xavier, "And for nearly 2,000 years afterwards she was in exile. She always planned on using the Hellfire Club's resources to regain her throne. But the old order didn't let her. And as you all know, I allied myself with her in order to rise up to the rank of Black King. One of the ways I got Selene's help was to assist her in regaining the throne of Nova Roma. It was I that provided her the resources she needed to overthrow the royal family and regain her status. It is one of the difficult deals I had to make in my ascension and one that I'm not proud of."

There was a brief silence among the pawns. The idea of anybody helping Selene didn't sit well, even if it was Lord Xavier. He showed as much remorse for helping her as Sinister did in his final message. It seemed to be the fate of all those who aided her.

"You did what you had to do, Charles," said Emma.

"Perhaps, but it leaves us with quite a challenge," said Xavier.

He then had Moria bring up a more detailed map of the kingdom. In every respect, it was not very accessible. And knowing Selene, she had any number of tricks to dissuade would be intruders. But they couldn't afford to let that stop them at this point.

"As you can see, Nova Roma has stayed hidden for good reason. There are dense jungle, perilous rivers, and mountains guarding it. Selene has also employed an array of mystical shielding to keep anybody and everybody out. Even the local governments don't dare go too close."

"So we won't be able to rely on their support," said Scott, "But we should still be able to gain entry. According to one of our spy satellites the mystical shield has been fluctuating recently. It should be pretty easy for us to fly a jet in."

"That's a good thing, isn't it?" said Kitty.

"It may or it may not be, Kitty," said Scott, "If the shield is fluctuating it could mean one of two things. Either Selene is too distracted to bother with the shields or she's redirecting her energy into something much bigger."

"And Ah don't think we need to speculate on which one it is," said Sam.

Nobody argued with that. They knew Selene well enough to understand that she never did anything without good reason. If the shield was faltering then that meant she was up to something. They could only contemplate what it may be.

"So then what do we do?" asked Piotr, "What's the plan?"

Moria then turned off the console and rose up to join Xavier. She stood next to him as he addressed his pawns with the authority and confidence of a true Black King.

"Our plan is simple. I have already made a call to Forge in Paris. He managed to slip away to a secret bunker of ours after Selene took over. He is already gathering the necessary supplies for us and will fly here in a stealth jet that has been generously leant to us by Norman Osborn. Once he arrives we will all launch an assault on Nova Roma and Selene's forces together. Whatever she is up to, we must stop her and make sure she faces Hellfire justice."

"With all due respect sir, I think we know full well that Selene isn't going to go down that easily," said Julian, "I mean how are we going to stop an immortal woman who can wield the mystic powers of a god?"

"Selene may be immortal, Julian. But I assure you she's no god," said Xavier strongly, "You're right about her power. So if we're to confront her we must go in with an edge."

"What kind of edge?" said Logan, "I'm guessin' it'll have to be something big to stick it to that woman."

"We haven't quite worked that out yet, Logan," said the Black King, "But I have an idea. I'll explain more when Forge arrives."

"And when will that be?" asked Warpath.

"Based on what he told me, he should be here tomorrow morning."

"Tomorrow morning?" groaned Kitty, "What do we do until then? Just sit here and wait?"

Xavier sighed and looked at his pawns empathically. He could sense how much they all wanted a shot at Selene. He couldn't blame them after everything she did to them. But if they were to have any chance at beating her they had to be smart about it.

"No, you're not just going to wait," he told them, "Instead I want you all to rest up and gather your strength."

"You want us all to just sleep after what we just learned?" scoffed Rogue.

"Yeah, why don't we just hop into the other jet now and fly down to this Nova Roma place and kick her ass!" said Pietro intently.

"Because you know damn well that such an attack against Selene's forces would be foolhardy at best," said Xavier sternly, silencing the speedster, "I know that's asking a lot given what you've just learned, but you all need to be in top form if you're to stand a chance against this woman. I know her better than any of you. And trust me when I say you'll need to be ready."

It sounded daunting, trying to rest with the knowledge that Selene was out there carrying out whatever sick plans she had. Every moment they gave her a moment she went unpunished for her crimes and that was something that didn't sit will with any of the pawns. But the look in Xavier's eyes was serious. And they knew from experience that his methods were usually right in the long term.

"You all have your grudges. But remember, we are in this together," Xavier went on, "I want to see her suffer as much as the rest of you. That's why Moria and I are going to continue to develop a strategy."

"At least let us help, sir," said Scott strongly.

"Yeah, we should have some say in this too," said Sam.

"I appreciate your intent, but I need you to rest as well."

"But…" Scott began.

"This is not up for negotiation," said Xavier strongly, "I need all of you in top form. Do what you have to do in order to get yourselves ready. That is an order from the Black King. And as my loyal pawns and acquaintances, I expect you all to follow them. The Hellfire Club may be in shambles now, but I assure you we will rebuild and prosper. And I want you all to be a part of that. But you must remember the traditions that have made us all so strong. So that when the time comes, you will all be ready to take your proper roles in the new order."

It was a powerful message from a powerful man. Charles Xavier had done a lot for them. It was largely because of him that they had all become so strong. His organization and leadership led them all to become more than they ever could have become on their own. Over the years he rewarded their loyalty and dedication. Now more than ever he needed that from them. And for the sake of the organization they served and the hatred they all felt in their hearts for their enemies, they would not deviate from their duties.

"Now then, are there any more questions?" he asked.

Nobody said anything. They already knew everything they needed to know. All that was left now was to prepare.

"Good, then rest up my pawns," said the Black King, "We have a big day tomorrow."

"And you know what they say! The early bird catches the crazy psycho bitch in a G-string!" said Deadpool.

"Shut up, Deadpool!" said everybody almost simultaneously.

The merc with a mouth just shrugged and followed everybody out of the sub-levels. Many were still anxious. Those such as Pietro, Rogue, Mystique, Julian, and Scott had loved ones under Selene's influence. Others such as Warpath, Logan, and Emma had a lot of pent up anger they wanted to take out on Selene as well. They were all anxious to get to Nova Roma and take this woman on, but if they were to stand a chance against her and ensure she got the full punishment she deserved they needed to be ready.

Moria and Xavier watched as Scott, Jean, Piotr, Rogue, Warpath, Pietro, Logan, Mystique, Bobby, Jubilee, Kitty, Sam, Julian, Rahne, Remy, Emma, Ororo, Deadpool, and Danielle left. While they didn't show it, they too were anxious about facing the Black Queen. They had known her much longer than the others and understood what she was capable of. They always knew they were going to have to face her like this at some point, but not like this. It was already more trying than they ever could have imagined. But they had to make her pay. As leaders of the Hellfire Club, it was their sacred duty to make sure all traitors paid a high price for betrayal.

But before all the pawns were out of sight, Xavier had one last message.

"Jean…could you stay for a moment, please?" he called out.

Jean stopped just as she was about to walk out the doorway with Scott. She turned to him and gave him a reassuring look.

"I'll catch up," she told him.

"I understand," he said as he gave her a kiss on the forehead.

Jean waited for the others to leave before approaching the Black King. She already had a pretty good idea of what this was about so there was no use avoiding it. She stood silently as Xavier walked up to her and placed both hands on her shoulders.

"How have you been holding up, my dear?" he asked her.

"Okay I guess," said Jean distantly, "It's been…surreal to say the least. Ever since I felt the power of the Phoenix back in Selene's chamber, I've been trying to make sense of it."

"So you haven't been able to get a firm grasp on it?" surmised the Black King.

"I…I don't know," said Jean, trying not to sound weak before her king, "I've been training for this for years now. Enchantress taught me a lot about magic and wielding great power. But I'm not a goddess from Asgard and I'm not an immortal sorceress. I'm a mutant from New York. I'm not exactly groomed for this sort of power."

Xavier placed both hands on her face as he looked her in the eye. Jean Grey was a very different woman compared to the shy teenager he brought in all those years ago. She had grown into the model of a Hellfire woman, powerful and beautiful. But even a Hellfire woman could not prepare themselves for challenges like this.

"I know you are concerned, Jean. And I'm sorry this burden must fall solely on your shoulders," he told her, "But that great power you wielded may be the only power we have to match Selene. Even with all our resources and abilities, we will never succeed against her unless we have someone with us who can go head-to-head with her on a mystical level."

"I understand that, sir. But this power is just so new to me. I don't know if I'll be able to fully grasp it in time. I don't even know if it is enough to match her," said Jean anxiously.

Xavier looked at her more sternly, maintaining a calm and assertive demeanor.

"Come now, Jean. I know I taught you better than that. I won't claim to know what it's like to wield the power of the Phoenix. But I seem to remember telling you long ago when you first joined that it wasn't how much power you wielded that mattered. It's how you use it. Only the weak lament about not having enough and you most certainly are not weak."

Jean fell silent and bowed her head slightly in a sign of humility to her king. But Xavier wouldn't let her humble herself at a time like this.

"I don't just need you to be strong, Jean. I need you to be confident in the power you wield," he said to her, "You must let go of all fear and uncertainty because Selene will not allow you any advantages. Don't just try to take control of this power. Dominate it. That way when the time comes you won't just be able to match Selene, you'll be able to crush her. Understand?"

Jean's expression hardened at Xavier's strong words. She thought back to all the lessons she learned in the Inner Circle and with Enchantress. A lot was riding on her and she had no time to be weak or uncertain. Selene struck hard at her spirit, but she was determined not to let it falter. She owed as such to Charles Xavier and all her fellow pawns.

"I understand, sir."

"Good," he said with a warm smile, "Now go on and rest up. Do what you have to do to prepare. You'll need your strength as well as the Phoenix for tomorrow."

"I'll be ready, Lord Xavier. I promise," said Jean strongly.

The Black King looked her in the eye and saw no reason to doubt her. He smiled and let her go so she could run off with the others to rest and gather her strength. She smiled back, bowing respectfully in a reassuring gesture to assure her king that she was up to this. She still had a daunting challenge ahead of her. But she was clearly up to it.

As Xavier saw Jean off, Moria walked up next to him and affectionately slipped her arms around her lover's waist in a calming gesture.

"Do you think she'll really be able to match up against Selene? Is that Phoenix power she wields strong enough?" wondered Moria.

"I don't know, but let's hope so because we'll need it," said Xavier distantly, "Selene is going to challenge us all and every one of us must be up to it. We all must do our parts. The Inner Circle must work together for once to exert true power against a truly devious force. Selene, like all our enemies, must learn that even immortals are not immune from the wrath of the Hellfire Club."

* * *

**Upper Dormitories – Scott and Jean**

Night fell over the secret Hellfire Villa and as instructed, most of the pawns had turned in for the night. Nobody was going to get much sleep with a final confrontation with Selene looming before them. Everybody had reason to be anxious. Some were pretty personal. Julian had Laura, Pietro had Lorna and Wanda, Rogue and Mystique had Kurt, and Scott had Alex. Others had just had pure anger and outrage to work off of, fueled by the bitterness left over from Selene's torture. But for Jean Grey she had a different kind of challenge looming over her. She would be the pawn's only chance at fighting Selene on a mystical level.

After her talk with Lord Xavier, she retreated to her room where she spent several hours meditating and practicing her spells. She could still feel the power of the Phoenix brewing inside her. But in order to tap it completely she needed to be focused, which wasn't easy when the memories of Selene's torture were still fresh in her mind. Every time she got too focused on a spell, she would have vivid flashbacks that threw her off. It was frustrating so she tried to calm herself down with a nice long bath. After she was done she was still tense, but she remembered Xavier's words and didn't allow herself to fall into uncertainty.

Now tired and dried off, Jean stood in front of her bathroom mirror looking at herself with a stern gaze. She was wearing only a pair of black panties and gripping the sides of the sink firmly as she tried to focus the power within.

"**I can feel it. This power is mine. I WILL wield it! I must."**

Her eyes flashed in a fiery flame as the power flowed from within. But it was still hard to maintain. Her face contorted in discomfort as the fires faded and she let out a tired gasp while hunched over the sink.

"Ugh…why does this have to be so hard?" she told herself, "What do I have to do to get a hold of myself?"

As Jean caught her breath and continued looking at herself in the mirror, she heard a knock on her door. Feeling too frustrated to continue, she sighed and walked out of her bathroom to answer it. When she opened the door she saw Scott standing in front of her wearing only a pair of black boxers. It wasn't his usual dress sense for this time of night, but it was hot and he looked just as restless as her.

"Hey love, am I interrupting something?" said Scott, smiling at her half naked form.

"Of course not," Jean smiled, "Just too distracted to put anything else on."

"You too, huh? I take it you can't sleep either."

"How can anybody at a time like this?" she groaned, "I don't even bother. I've just been doing a little extra training with my magic. As you can probably tell it's slow going."

She had a tired and distraught look in her eyes. Scott was tired too, but he still cast her a reassuring smile.

"Mind if I come in? Some company might help," he said to her, "And I'm not doing too well on my own."

"Sure," said Jean, smiling back, "I think we could both use it."

Jean led him inside, closing the door behind her. She promptly felt his powerful arms slip around her as he pulled her into warm embrace. It was nice and comforting, as it so often was with Scott. She let out a soft moan of contentment as some of the tension from earlier melted away. She also sensed Scott ease up a little. He was pretty anxious as well. She assumed part of it had to do with Alex, but there was so much going on it was hard to tell.

Smiling at the warm feeling, Scott and Jean made their way over towards the bed. It only seemed logical since they were too tense and restless to just stand around like this. They sat down near the edge with Scott's arms still secure around her waist while Jean affectionately leaned into his warm, resting her head on his shoulder. For a moment they just sat in silence, enjoying the loving warmth between them. There was so much on their minds, but just being close to one another helped.

"So are we going to talk about it?" said Scott, finally breaking the silence.

"About what?" she said incredulously, "There's a lot to talk about at a time like this."

"You know what I mean," he said, "I'm referring to what Xavier pulled you aside to discuss."

"My Phoenix powers," said Jean distantly.

"Yeah…those," he said, turning towards her so he could look her in the eye, "Are we going to talk about it? Because I know this has been causing you a lot of stress."

Scott was one of the few people Jean could never seem to deceive. He wasn't even psychic, but he could read her like one. It showed how well they knew each other. And in some ways he was also tied to this power she now wielded. They couldn't ignore it forever.

"I know you've been worried. Everybody's been looking at me a little strangely since it happened, even Emma," said Jean, "But I'll tell you the same thing I told Lord Xavier. I'm connected to this power now. All that stress Selene put on my mind and spirit finally allowed me to reach out and grasp it. I just…haven't gotten to the point where I can wield it fully."

"And your worried that if you can't you won't be able to face Selene," Scott surmised.

Jean sighed looked away briefly. But she still managed a slight smile.

"You know me well, Scott. I've always sort of burdened myself with this. I'm the only other one besides Wanda and Selene who has learned to wield magic on some level. And now I'm the only one who can stand against them. They both wield power on a level I could never hope to match on my own. But with the Phoenix I know I have a chance. I just need to grasp it."

"So what's holding you back?" asked Scott, "You've always been so strong and determined when it comes to magic. I know because I've seen it first hand. Why should this be any different?"

"The power of the Phoenix isn't like wielding normal magic," said Jean, "It's a power beyond anything I've ever felt before. It's a force that's practically divine and I'm trying to grasp it with my mortal limitations. And without the aptitude of advanced mystics, it's difficult to say the least."

Scott sensed a touch of frustration in her tone. He heard this many times before when she was still struggling with her abilities. So he hugged her closer and gently caressed her face.

"But still, it chose you," he told her, "You said it yourself. This thing has been linked to you for a long time. That says a lot. It means it sensed something in you it didn't sense in anyone else. Even when there were plenty of more powerful mystics out there, it still chose you. That's a powerful sign."

"Yeah…I guess so," said Jean with a half-smile, "But what does it mean?"

"I wish I knew," he told her, "But I'm sure you'll figure it out. You've never let this sort of thing stand in your way before. I know this is different, but I'm confident you'll pull through again."

"I hope so. A lot is riding on me right now. If I can't stand against Selene then we have no chance against her," she said distantly.

"I couldn't think of a better woman to bear those responsibilities."

That brought another smile to Jean's face. Scott always knew what to say to lift her spirits. He reinforced his point by giving him a deep kiss. It was a comforting feeling and one they both sorely needed.

"Thanks Scott," she said warmly, "I don't think I ever could have come this far without your support."

"Anytime, my love," he said softly.

"But what about you?" she inquired, "I notice you've been worried as well. Is it about Alex?"

Now it was Scott's turn to sigh and turn away. Just as well as he knew her, Jean knew him every bit as deeply. And with her telepathy she could pick up on things he was never able to articulate. For issues as sensitive as Alex, that was especially important.

"Yeah, I guess that's still bothering me," he muttered, "I still can't get over how he just turned on me like that. After everything I did to try and help him, he up and joins Selene. I just can't help thinking that I failed him."

"You didn't fail him, Scott," she said with a comforting gesture, "Selene corrupted Alex just as she corrupts everybody she touches."

"I know, but still…I feel as though I could have done something more. I know we never got along, but I really did hope that we could come together again."

Jean was silent for a moment as she leaned in closer to her lover. She tried not to get too caught up in the family affairs with others, but this one was something she couldn't avoid. There was a cold hard truth to matters such as these and Scott needed to hear it.

"Scott, I don't mean to belittle your brother and the relationship you have with him, but sometimes you just have to accept that some people are set in their ways. No amount of family or brotherly mentoring can stop that."

"What are you saying? That Alex was destined to join Selene?" said Scott bitterly.

"No, of course not," she said quickly, "I'm just saying that he just had those traits that made him prone to her influence. He was aggressive, ambitious, and unbalanced. He didn't stand a chance against Selene."

It was a bitter pill to swallow, but on some levels Scott knew she was right. He never liked to believe that his brother was as dark as the rest of Selene's minions, but he couldn't deny that he was prone to her influence. He just couldn't get around his irrational anger about not being everything he wanted to be. He wasn't willing to work his way up. It was difficult for him as a brother, but it was too late now.

"I'm going to have to face him," said Scott distantly.

"I know you will," she said with another reassuring gesture, "And just like me, you'll do what you have to do. He's still your brother."

"I know. I just wish it didn't have to come to this."

"Believe me, Scott, none of us does," said Jean in a deep tone, "But we're still part of the Inner Circle. We have to do whatever is necessary to end this."

"And what if the only necessary thing to do is kill my own brother?"

"Try not to think about that just like I'm trying not to think about not being able to grasp my Phoenix powers," said Jean, "If there's one thing we've learned together it's that we can't let bitterness and anger stand in our way. We have to be willing to go beyond our limits to do whatever needs to be done. No matter how difficult it is, we need to stand strong…not just on our own, but together as well."

Scott remembered vividly that same lesson he and Jean learned as well. It was one of the hardest lesson any Hellfire pawn had to learn, doing whatever was necessary to get the job done. He didn't like the idea of having to oppose his own brother like this. But if it was the only way to stop him and Selene, he had to be ready to do what was necessary. And Jean was still there to support him just as he was there to support her.

"Yes…together," said Scott.

With that sense of dedication to one another and their duties, Scott and Jean came together in another kiss. This time it was more passionate, fueled by the loving strength they so often gave one another. Their lips wrestled with greater fervor and their hands began roaming around their half-naked bodies. Scott's hands found their way to her breasts while Jean hungrily traced her fingers down the sinewy curves of his manly upper body. Even with the memory of Selene's torture still fresh in their memories, they couldn't help but get aroused by the feeling. Their bodies began instinctively grinding together, building up a burning heat between them. But they did not continue as they normally would. Just as the feeling was getting intense, they abruptly parted.

"Jean…" said Scott breathlessly, "Do you want to continue? Is it too soon?"

Jean thought about it for a moment. But she didn't have to think long.

"Scott, no amount of torture could ever stop me from wanting to make love to you. To hell with the scars that Selene left. Let's do this," she said intently, "Besides, we haven't had our special night yet this week, have we?"

"Now there's the Jean Grey I fell in love with!"

Scott couldn't help but smile at her powerful words. She wasn't the kind of person who would let someone like Selene taint the things she loved most. She was stronger than that. They both were. They hadn't made love since this whole mess began. Now seemed like the most fitting of times to recapture this feeling.

With a tender yet passionate grip on one another, they slipped out of thier underwear and relaxed on the bed together. After some more deep kissing and heated gestures, they positioned their bodies together and started making love. Any hesitation they had in wake of Selene's rape and torture melted away through the strength of their Hellfire honed spirits and the passion of their love. They started slow at first, but quickly worked their way up to the heated fervor they so cherished. Their naked bodies moved and glided together, their moans of ecstasy filling the room every step of the way. It wasn't long before they started climaxing together. It was every bit as blissful as they remembered. All they needed was that one feeling to get them going and they were indulging in the excesses of lovemaking as true Hellfire pawns should.

Driven by their passions, they made love in varoius positions. But at one point Jean tested out her new Phoenix powers. Her eyes and body flashed a fiery orange briefly, showing the magic behind her strength and stirring them to more passionate feelings. At first Scott was a little surprised, but he quickly got into it. If Jean was going to be using these same powers to defeat Selene she might as well hone them. Through this power, they savored more round of orgasmic bliss. They clung to each other, kissing and moaning through each frenzied gasp. They kept going at it until their bodies finally gave out, but not before sharing one last Phoenix enhanced peak together.

When the feeling subsided and the fiery aura ceased, Scott and Jean remained lost in each other's gaze. Then through the passion they met in one last kiss to cap it all off. It was an amazing experience, as much as they had come to expect from their lovemaking. But this was even more special. The power of the Phoenix and the gravity of this moment all came together in a truly memorable feeling.

Now tired and spent, Scott rolled off of Jean and lay down beside her. They remained in a warm embrace, smiling and breathing deeply as they sank into this new feeling of strength and security. They each had so many uncertainties going into the battle ahead of them. But in a moment like this, such uncertainties were all but meaningless.

"I love you, Jean," said Scott softly.

"I love you too, Scott," said Jean, "Thank you for being my strength."

"Thank you for being mine," he said with a warm smile, "We'll get through this. And we'll all be stronger when it's over."

"I know we will," said Jean strongly, "Sometimes we just have to remind each other of it."

"Well this time, I don't think I'll ever forget."

With newfound confidence, Scott and Jean met in one final kiss. Then with a content sigh, they slipped into a deep sleep. But before Jean fell asleep she held out her hand briefly and formed a small fiery image of the Phoenix and smiled. Years ago it was Scott that first made her realize her mystical potential. It was only fitting he would help realize her potential with the Phoenix as well. With this in mind she joined in him a peaceful sleep, confident that tomorrow she would have all the power and strength she would ever need to defeat the Black Queen.

* * *

**Upper Dormitories – Mystique**

Despite Xavier's orders, Mystique continued to linger throughout the Villa while the others did their best to rest up. She spent most of her time with Rogue, passing the hours by talking about simpler times and trying not to dwell on their current situation. But no matter what they talked about the looming prospect of tomorrow was never far from their minds. They knew they were going to have to face Selene, but that wasn't what worried them. It was Kurt that concerned them so, especially Mystique.

Even though she had never been able to give him a normal life, Mystique always vowed that she would do what she thought was best for her son. After she lost the baby she bore with Sabretooth, she was determined not to make the same mistake. It didn't necessarily work out as well with Kurt's father or Baron Wagner, but she was still able to have him and love him like a mother should. And she thought she could protect him from Selene's influence. But she was wrong.

But she still clung to the hope that her son was still in that veil of darkness Selene had cast over him. She refused to believe that he had completely given in. She felt it when he was distant during Selene's torture of her and the pawns. And if she could just get through to him, perhaps there would be hope. Rogue didn't seem as confident, but she still trusted her and that's what mattered with Mystique. She hadn't failed completely with her family and she vowed to make this right.

Eventually, Rogue got tired of talking and started yawning.

"Well Mama, Ah think Ah'm gonna turn in," she said, stretching her limbs, "Ah suggest you do the same. We'll need our strength for tomorrow."

"I don't know if I can," sighed the shape shifter as she sat back on her bed, "I've never been much for sleep, let alone sleep while my son is out there under that woman's influence."

"At least try," urged Rogue, "Ah know you're worried about Kurt. Ah am too. But we'll take care of it tomorrow. And if we're gonna help him we gotta be at full strength."

Mystique grumbled in frustration. Even after all these years and extensive conditioning by the Hellfire Club, she still couldn't resist that Rogue gave her. It was annoying, but at least it showed she could still be a mother to her kids when she had to be.

"Fine," she said, "I'll try."

Rogue smiled and gave her mother a warm hug before making her leave. Mystique managed to smile back, which helped both of them feel a bit more at ease even in this dire situation. But there was still hope. They never denied that. It was just going to be a challenge holding onto it.

But even after Rogue left, Mystique found herself pacing restlessly. She wanted to get some rest, but so much was going through her mind. Every conversation she ever had with Kurt since they joined the Hellfire Club played over in her mind. Every subtle hint and clue as to how deep he had fallen in with Selene or how much he had been able to resist was scrutinized. And yet she was still unsure. Was her son really beyond saving? How far was she really willing to go? And if he couldn't be saved, what then? It was too much to contemplate. She found herself slamming her fist against the wall in frustration, wishing this wasn't so hard.

'_Damn you, Selene. Damn you for corrupting my son.'_

She was ready to give up on sleep. Perhaps a walk on the beach outside would do her good. But just as she was about to head out, she heard a knock on her door.

"Who the hell could that be?" she groaned, in no real mood to talk.

She went to open the door, half expecting it to be Rogue again. But then she saw that it was Logan and her mood immediately shifted.

"Logan? What are you doing still up?" she asked, hiding the surprise in her tone.

"I could ask you the same," he said, "But I heard you pacing. And I figure since Rogue turned in you could still use some company."

"Really? Why couldn't you just assume I wanted to be left alone?" she said bitterly.

"Because I know you, Raven. And I know what you're going through."

The shape shifter was about to scoff at the notion, but then she remembered how Selene also had Laura under her control. And while she wasn't technically his child (at least she didn't think so), she was as close to family as one could get. She could also see the same frustrated look in his eyes. So with that in mind she let him in.

"Fine, come in," she told him, "But don't expect me to be able to cheer you up like I usually do."

"I ain't here to be cheered up," said Logan in his gruff tone, "I just wanted to talk to you."

"What's there to talk about? Haven't we covered everything since we got here?"

"No…not everything," he said, placing a hand on her shoulder.

Mystique tensed under his touch. She knew what he was talking about. That first night they arrived they had a powerful moment together. She revealed to him her past with Sabretooth and they fell asleep in each others' arms. A lot had come out during that night, but not everything. There were still some things left unsaid, but they got so caught up in helping Xavier find Selene it sort of fell to the wayside.

"Oh…that," she said distantly, "Look Logan, I'm worried about my son. I just spent the last hour with Rogue talking about him. Every moment he spends under Selene's control is like a dagger in my heart. So I may not be able to address this matter at the moment."

"I don't blame you," said Logan, not taking his hand off her shoulder, "Like I said, I know how you feel. That crazy bitch took Laura from me. She had the gall to not just torture her in front of my eyes, but drag her off and do some crazy magic to turn her into her little pet!"

There was a mix of anger and pain in his tone. It prompted Mystique to turn around and look her friend and lover in the eye. And for the first time all night she set aside her bitterness and took on a look of understanding.

"I didn't just fail her. I broke a promise I made to her," Logan went on, "I swore to her the day I brought her in that she would never be turned into a living weapon again. And now she ain't just a mindless drone, she's Selene's mindless drone. Not only that, she has Sabretooth on her side! And you know full well what he'll do to her since he knows what it'll do to me!"

He was getting pretty worked up. He sounded as though he was on the verge of going on a berserker rage. Now it was Raven's turn to comfort him. She placed her hand on his, which was still on her shoulder. Then she leaned in closer to him and without really thinking about it, pulled him into an embrace. This helped calm him down. It helped calm her down too. It gave them something to cling to in this dark hour.

"I can't lose her," he growled, "I can't let Selene win like this. I'm gonna make that bitch pay!"

"She will," said Mystique, "I'm sure of it."

"But even if I do tear her limb from limb and send her to Hell to suffer forever, will that undo what she did to Laura?" he wondered, "Will she still be a mindless drone doomed to live out the purpose the bastards who created her intended?"

Mystique parted from him slightly and placed both hands on his shoulders. This was something she had been dealing with as well for much longer. But if she sensed even the slightest bit of defiance in Kurt, there was no reason Laura couldn't have it as well.

"I've been wondering that myself ever since I got here," she said, "You know as well as I do that once Selene sinks her claws into someone, it changes them. And it's never clear whether it can be undone."

"But it's still possible, ain't it?" said Logan, sounding almost desperate in his words.

"I don't know," admitted the shape shifter, "But there's still reason to believe. I saw something in Kurt's eyes when he was carrying out Selene's orders. Nobody else saw it, not even Rogue. But I knew as a mother it was there."

"What was it?" asked Logan intently.

"It was…uncertainty," she said, struggling to find the right words, "I can't put my finger on it, but I just saw something in him that made me believe that he hadn't completely given into Selene's wishes. He may still have the strength in him to defy her. I don't know if it's enough, but I know it's there."

"You think Laura could have it too?"

"Laura's not my child. She's yours," said Mystique strongly, "You would probably know better than anybody. But if she's anything like you, I know she's fighting it. You just have to find a way to reach her, just like I have to find a way to reach my son."

It wasn't the most hopeful message in the world. But Mystique was never one for sugarcoating the truth. But it gave Logan something. If Kurt was fighting then so was Laura. He could be sure of that. Whether or not it was enough was uncertain. It still sickened him the kind of things Selene and Sabretooth may be doing with her. But if there was any chance that he could get her back, he had to hold onto it.

A silence fell over them and they awkwardly parted from their embrace. But they still stayed close. They needed to be near each other. It was still a difficult, if not impossible situation. But at least they had each other to lean on. It hadn't been lost on them what nearly happened between them earlier. And since tomorrow they were going into battle, this may be their last chance to complete it.

"Thanks, Raven. I hope you're right," said Logan.

"Me too," said Mystique, "Guess we'll have to wait and see."

"Guess so," he muttered.

There was another brief silence between them. There was clearly still more they wanted to say, but they didn't know where to begin.

"So…" said Raven, breaking the silence.

"So what?" said Logan, maintaining his gruff tone.

"Are we going to talk about the other issue at hand?" she said, "The one I'm sure you thought about before you came here?"

"I don't know. Shouldn't we get some hard liquor first?"

"I think it's better if we stayed sober," she said, moving in closer to him.

Logan maintained his gruff demeanor, but when Mystique reached up and caressed his burly face he felt a powerful warmth. It was not something he was used to feeling, even when he was with Jean. It was just like their first night here, only this time their intent was different.

"A lot has happened between us since you arrived," the shape shifter began, "We didn't become the best of friends right off the bad. I had issues with my kids and you were caught up with Jean Grey. And neither really turned out all that well for us."

"That's bein' pretty damn nice about it," muttered Logan.

"Even so, we still came together. Even if it started with strip clubs and liquor, we still came together. You were the first real friend I had that I felt I could relate to in a long time."

"Same here, darlin'. But we both know it didn't stop there," he said, slipping his arms around her waist, "I know it was hard to tell because I couldn't get over Jean."

"But you're over her now, right?"

"I don't think you can ever get over something like that," Logan conceded, "But let's just say I've moved on. And you helped me. But somewhere along the way that friendly help turned into something. It turned into something neither of us suspected. I got feelings for you now, Misty. And I know you have feelings for me. We just haven't been able to get it out because we're both too damn bitter and stubborn."

Mystique couldn't help but laugh a little at his assessment. As crass as it was, he was right in many ways. They didn't expect to become friends, let alone anything more. But there was just something that drew them together. They just weren't embracing it. And with everything that had been going on lately, now seemed as good a time as any.

"So what are we going to do?" asked Mystique, "Are we just going to come clean now or draw this out even longer?"

"See, there in lies the problem," sighed Logan, "The mistake I made with Jean is I kept trying to push it. Later on she told me sometimes its best if you just let it happen."

"Really? And how do we do that?" said the shape shifter with a half grin.

Logan gave her that wolfish grin that was so distinctive. He had that look in his eye that was so dirty yet affectionate in his own unique. She knew what that look usually implied and it didn't take much to figure out what he had in mind.

"Darlin', you know damn well I'm not very good with words. So instead of tryin' to work that shit out, why don't we just try and play it by ear?"

"Hmm…sounds simple enough," said Mystique as she pressed her body up against his, "I think I can manage that."

Without another word, Logan and Raven followed the advice of Jean Grey and just let whatever was bound to happen come forth. And what happened was the two of them came together in a deep, passionate kiss. Mystique slipped her arms around his neck and Logan hungrily snaked them around her waist, drawing her deep into his burly warmth as they savored the gesture in the rough yet affectionate manner that so defined them.

It was every bit as powerful as the moment they had on their first night at the villa. But on that night nobody was in the mood to get too intimate after Selene's torture. This night was different. This time their kissing and touching quickly became more heated. Soft grunts of desire escaped as their lips wrestled passionately and they started backing towards the bed. But as often happened with them, they were so fervent they ended up missing it and Mystique soon found herself pinned up against the wall with her legs hooked around his waist. As their bodies grinded together, the burning desire inside them intensified. But before they got too lost in it they parted briefly and stared at each other in a daze.

"This work for you, darlin'?" said Logan in a husky tone, "You get what this is?"

"Trust me, Logan…I get it," grinned Mystique seductively, "Now shut up and kiss me!"

Grinning with intent, Logan crashed his lips against hers again. No more words were needed. Neither one of them was good with words. They let their actions say what they couldn't say. And their desires did the rest.

With burning lust and desire, they shed their clothes and fell on the bed together. While locked in a heated embrace, they hungrily kissed and groped each other's naked bodies until they wre in a state of unparalleled desire. In a rough but passionate manner that was so distinctive of them, Logan and Raven began making love. Sharp grunts and deep gasps quickly filled the room. Their burning flesh clashed as their hungry hands raked over each others' bodies. Feelings of bliss and ecstasy quickly followed, feelings that were a far cry from the torture they endured under Selene. It was intoxicating and fulfilling. And unlike every previous relationship they ever had, it was not complicated. Everything around them became so focused. For a moment nothing else mattered, not even Selene. All that mattered was sharing this moment together.

Through their burning lust, they drove one another to an intense climax. Their durable bodies helped them go even further. Rolling around on the bed, they explored this feeling for all it was worth. When exploring wasn't enough, they grasped it firmly and savored it in a way that was rough yet tender. Logan let out deep, feral growls that Raven couldn't help but find sexy. Her blissful moans and deep grunts drove Logan to go further as well, clutching her flesh and pushing her to new heights of bliss. Their bodily limits were continually pushed, allowing them to share in numerous orgasms together. It was all so primal yet on a higher level. It was everything they had hoped for and everything they wanted it to be.

Even after the sensations passed and their bodies gave out, they remained locked in their gaze. Since the beginning, it was a gaze that said everything they struggled to get out. IT said more than words ever could. Then through this passionate state of mind they pulled each other into one last embrace and shared a deep kiss. Logan and Mystique had never had much luck with love in the past. Too often it led to heartbreak. But something about this felt right. These feelings were real and they weren't going to hide them anymore.

With a tired sigh, Mystique let her body collapse against his. Logan's burly arms remained securely around her body. Still panting breathlessly, they lay on top of the ruffled sheets in contentment. They had said and expressed everything they wanted to say to each other with this. There was only one thing left now.

"I love you, Logan," said Raven.

"I love you too, darlin'," said Logan.

"So where do we go from here?" she pondered in a tired tone.

"With something like this, I have no idea. But for now I'm content to keep at…eh what the hell."

It sounded simple yet appropriate. It was just what one would expect from Logan. Mystique smiled and gave him one last kiss as a ways to show her agreement. Logan smiled back and held her closely as they finally drifted off into a light sleep.

It had been a strange journey for Logan and Mystique. They started off as drinking buddies, venting with each other on the complications of their lives. Mystique had issues with her son while Logan had issues with Jean. They were probably the last pair anybody thought would fall in love. And yet somehow they found their way towards one another. Many challenges lay ahead for the two lovers. But the former loners now had a new strength to guide them. And they would need that strength for the battle that lay before them.

* * *

**Nova Roma – Imperial Palace**

The time had come for Selene and her minions. They had before them all the pieces needed to put the Black Queen's plan into motion. Mr. Sinister had unwittingly provided exactly what Selene needed. And now he was nothing more than a lifeless, soulless statue in her throne room. He was a fool to trust Selene and he thought he could get the better of her. But the Black Queen knew better. She didn't give him the chance and now all that was left was to carry out the final phase.

In the back of the palace she gathered her minions and a series of carts and transports. There along with the help of her elite guard she had them load all the materials they would need. This included various mystical artifacts, most notably the blood stones, and the various necessities required for any major ritual. The most important part, however, was the care of the twelve infants Sinister created. They were kept in incubators and rolled into the transports under heavy guard. The minions provided close supervision, making sure everything went smoothly for this final step.

"Careful with the powers, Roberto! You don't want to break those incubators!" said Monet as she saw the young Brazilian using his sun powers to push the infants along.

"Relax, I know what I'm doing," he said, rolling his eyes, "I know it's a lot to ask for an uptight bitch like you, but please ease up a bit! We all can't be perfectionists!"

"For something Mistress Selene deems this important, you damn well better try," scorned Monet, "You know what she'll do to you if you screw up and I'm sure you don't want that!"

Roberto didn't argue that. He knew Mistress Selene was watching closely and he wasn't about to risk her wrath. While he didn't show it to Monet, he did ease up a little just to be sure.

While Roberto was moving the children along, Kurt watched closely with Warren and Betsy following him. They were carrying some other assorted materials and so was Kurt. But he was barely paying attention, his mind to fixated on the infants.

"Vhat do you think vill happen to zhem?" he wondered aloud.

"I don't know, but it doesn't matter," said Warren, "Whatever Mistress Selene wills we will follow. You're not having second thoughts, are you?"

"Of course not, I'm just curious zhat's all," said Kurt distantly.

"Don't get too curious," warned Betsy, "That's the first step towards hesitating. And take it from someone whose made that mistake before, don't hesitate. It'll only lead to failure and hardships."

"I'll…keep zhat in mind," said Kurt.

Her advice rang true, but not in the way Betsy probably intended. Kurt had been dwelling on this matter ever since they left New York. He couldn't escape his uncertainties about what was going to happen these children, most notably the one belonging to him and Wanda. He wasn't sure what to do if Mistress Selene's plans involved harming them. But whatever may happen, he would make sure he followed Betsy's advice and not hesitate when the time came.

"Mind moving a little faster, Kurt? We're all trying to get a move on here!" said Tabitha who was being slowed up behind him.

"Yeah, you know how Mistress Selene has little patience!" reminded Alex, "She wants these transports loaded in the next hour and we cannot disappoint her!"

"Yes…of course," said Kurt as he refocused his attention on his current task.

Kurt followed Alex, Tabitha, Warren, Betsy, Monet, and Roberto's lead. He fell silent and kept loading the transports with supplies, not even making eye contact with anybody. Laura followed his lead, still mindlessly under Selene's control. Sabretooth kept a close eye on her, ordering her around to help with the lifting and sometimes taunting her. At times he noticed her hesitating a bit before obeying commands, but he continued to remind her who was in charge. When she was struggling to escort the bound Illyana into a transport, he was especially harsh.

"Hey!" he said as he hit her across the back of the head, "Move faster you brainless bitch! I want to get this over with so we can get back to our fun!"

"Will you cut that out you oversized brute?!" demanded Illyana, who continued to struggle with her restraints, "I've seen better manners from drunks!"

"Ah shut up, you little brat!" scowled Sabretooth, "Where did your gag go anyways?"

Sabretooth then turned towards Laura and hit her again.

"You must have taken it out you dumb kid! Shoulda known you'd inherit some of Logan's stupidity! Just for that we're gonna have a little 'sit-down' when we finish these up. And you better bring a mini-skirt because I ain't gonna let you off the hook easily!"

Laura's expression tensed briefly, but she continued her duties and helped shove Illyana into a transport. While she was too dazed to notice, Illyana cast her a look of sympathy. But her capacity for emotion was still locked away. She was still a prisoner that had to obey the requests of any authority figure. And that included Sabretooth, regardless of how much it sickened her.

Once one of the transports was loaded, Magneto and Lorna obediently sealed them up with metal locks so they would be secure. Selene stood from afar guiding them with her whim. Her spell on them was still holding strong and they were proving every bit as useful as she hoped. As she watched her minions work she grinned with a sense of satisfaction and anticipation. Since she was Black Queen she refused to do any heavy lifting. That was for her minions and her slaves. But she wasn't doing it out of pure authority. She needed to retain her strength. For even her, an immortal woman, was going to need it if she was to carry out what she was about to do. Wanda, who was standing next to her, was also saving her strength for the part she would soon play.

"We're almost ready, Wanda. Soon we'll be ready to move out and the ritual can begin!" proclaimed the Black Queen.

"Where exactly are we going, my Mistress?" she asked, "Is it far?"

"Oh we're not going far, my dear. In fact, you can see our destination from here."

Selene then directed her young apprentice's attention up toward the highest mountain that overlooked Nova Roma. From here it seemed imposing, casting a shadow on much of the palace. But up near the top, which was shrouded by haze, she could see the faint outline of a large structure. It was a temple, bearing elaborate Greco-Roman architecture. Only this one was a temple with a very different purpose.

"I've been planning this ritual for many years. Shortly after I regained control of Nova Roma, I ordered the construction of a temple near the top of the mountain. It was just completed a year ago and I made sure nobody would know the path to it by killing all those who worked on it. I cannot afford any chances with that houses something so vital."

"Why? What does it house?" asked Wanda.

Selene's gaze narrowed as she grew fixated on the distant structure.

"That I cannot tell you, my student. You are still too young and naïve to understand. Just know that the Temple of Orcus was build on the fiery foundations of a dormant volcano for a reason. It requires a fiery foundation so that there may be a source of fire to fuel the darkness that it shall unleash. That fire on its own will only do so much. But with this ritual, the fires of darkness shall become the fires of Hell! And by my whim this world shall burn!"

It was an ominous message from an immortal woman who had long championed the ways of darkness. She spent countless years pining for something like this, the chance to expand her domain over more than just a kingdom or a secret society. Now all her waiting was about to pay off with the ultimate reward. She had lived long enough to see civilizations and societies rise and fall in an endless cycle of madness. But soon that cycle would end. Everything would end. And all that would remain would be darkness.

* * *

**Up next: The countdown begins as Selene draws ever closer to fulfilling her plan and Xavier and his pawns are the only ones standing in her way.**

**AN: As always, I ask that you please take the time to review. I don't know exactly how many chapters are left, but there aren't many. Please send your feedback to me via email or post it on the website. Slickboy444 is almost done and I wish to end this on a strong note.  
**


	17. Gaining an Edge

**New Blood  
Chapter 17: Gaining an Edge**

* * *

**Secret Hellfire Island Villa – Rear Landing Area**

Dawn had risen over Hellfire Villa and Xavier's Inner Circle arose without hesitation to face the busy day ahead. Nobody got much sleep. The looming prospect of facing Selene and her minions was enough to keep everybody restless and anxious. They just got whatever rest they could, gathering their strength and preparing themselves for the ultimate battle between the two opposing forces within the Hellfire Club. On one side was Xavier and on the other was Selene. Only one could be allowed to propagate and they had no intention of ceding that duty to the likes of Selene.

Not long after the sun rose, another aircraft descended over the island. Inside the craft was Forge, a close ally of Xavier's who most of the pawns barely knew. But he was someone Xavier trusted and that was enough for them. Scott, Jean, Piotr, Rogue, Warpath, Pietro, Logan, Mystique, Bobby, Jubilee, Kitty, Sam, Julian, Rahne, Remy, Emma, Ororo, Deadpool, and Danielle all gathered with Xavier and Moria on the rear landing pad where they had landed earlier in the week. They watched as Forge carefully landed the craft next to theirs using the vertical take-off and landing mechanisms. The plane he was flying was much more advanced, bearing far greater stealth technology than the one they escaped in. They were going to need that stealth for their planned assault on Selene, but they had a feeling that wasn't all they would need. However, Xavier said he had a plan that would give them an edge.

As they all stood by and watched Xavier guide Forge in, many of the pawns were still tired and restless.

"Ah take it the rest of you didn't get much sleep either last night," commented Sam.

"Are you kidding? How could we?" groaned Bobby.

"Aye, this be one of those things where ye can only rest to a certain extent," said Rahne, "Unfortunately, that rest is never nearly enough."

"No argument here," said Kitty, "But it's better than nothing."

"Speak for yourself," said Pietro, "It looks like some people didn't have problems getting any sleep."

Pietro pointed towards Scott and Jean, who looked a lot more rested than the rest of them. And since they were standing so close they could tell they had sex last night. It was always a dead giveaway with them. But they weren't the only ones. They noticed Remy and Ororo looking equally refreshed. It was probably easier for them anyways since they hadn't endured Selene's torture. And to the surprise of many, Logan and Mystique also had that same look to them. That raised plenty of questions, but this was no time to get into such matters.

"I see what you mean," said Kitty, "But what's with Logan and Mystique? How did they enter the picture like this?"

"Ya don't keep up with them much do you, Kitty?" sighed Rogue.

"Well it's not like I don't have my own personal affairs," said Kitty, looking over at Piotr briefly, "But why them? When did that happen?"

Rogue looked over at Logan and her mother and saw them holding hands briefly. They still maintained that tough expression that they always bore, but she could tell there was something more between them. She always suspected it. Now it seemed as though they took the next step. It was awkward for given that it involved her mother, but for now she figured there were worse guys she could have gotten close to.

"It's a long story," she told her friend and fellow pawn, "Let's just worry about one thing at a time."

Kitty nodded and was content to leave such a matter for another time. She and the others fell silent as the Hellfire jet landed and the hatch to the side opened, revealing a neatly dressed Forge. He had with him a couple of large metal briefcases and when he saw Xavier and Moria, he smiled and walked over to greet them.

"Sorry I'm late, my lord," he told them.

"You've got nothing to apologize for, old friend," said Charles as he shook his hand, "You're here now when we need you most. That is all that matters."

Forge smiled and gave Moria a welcoming hug as well. It showed just how much trust they had in him. It was a given since they had such an extensive history together. But for many of the pawns, that history was a mystery.

"So this is Forge, huh?" commented Julian, "How come we never saw this guy around the Manor?"

"Don't know, but Lord Xavier seems to trust him and that's good enough for me," shrugged Jubilee.

"It isn't trust that concerns me," said Julian, "Lord Xavier said something about having an edge in this fight. And this guy doesn't look like much of an edge to me."

"Don't be too quick to judge, Julian," said Danielle with a confident grin, "I got to know this man pretty well over the past few months. And if he's got in that case what I think he's got then I think it's safe to say we're in pretty good shape."

"Really? What do you think is in the case?" asked Jubilee.

"You'll see," said the Native American girl.

Once the greetings with Xavier and Moria were out of the way, Forge turned his attention to the pawns. He didn't know many of them on a personal level. He knew Rahne from when she and Moria worked out of the Hellfire Club's European branch and he knew Danielle from 'special' training over the past few months. He also knew Mystique and Ororo to some extent, but mostly as associates and occasional sex partners. But he really didn't know many of the others.

"Everybody, I assume you all know Forge to some extent," said Xavier as he directed their attention towards him.

"Aye, we think of him as the nicer version of Sinister," commented Rahne.

"Nice to see you too, Rahne," said Forge with an amused look.

He then took in the appearance of the other pawns. They all looked restless and anxious, yet they also looked determined to go into battle.

"Is this everybody?" Forge asked Moria.

"Aye, Selene got to all the others," said Moria, "And she's left them pretty empowered to say the least."

"No surprise there," said the Native American mutant, "I also managed to gather a few remaining reports from the manor in Paris. If what you said about her going to Nova Roma is true then she's got quite a force on her hands. She has all of her elite guard and what remains of the Hand's army of assassins. And that's not counting the royal guard."

"So how many forces in all does that give her?" asked Scott, always the strategist.

"I can't give you an exact number, but it's probably in the hundreds or even thousands," said Forge.

"Thousands of Hand, elite guard, and Nova Roman military under her control?" exclaimed Pietro, "How do we fight against that?!"

"Don't start brooding," said Forge, "It's not as bad as it could be. Since the New York branch blew and all the networks were frozen, she couldn't concentrate all her forces like I'm sure she wanted. We should be grateful she doesn't have tens of thousands of Hellfire guards on her side because that easily could have been the case."

Pietro grumbled, still not liking it one bit. The idea of having to go through those kinds of forces as well as his father to get to Lorna didn't sit well. But a calming gesture from Rogue, who was in a similar predicament with Kurt, helped set him at ease.

"Regardless of her numbers, what's our plan of attack?" said Warpath, "I assume this stealth jet is our ticket in."

"It is," said Xavier, "But getting in is the easy part. To get an edge over Selene, we'll need to use a little strategy. And Moria and I came up with something last night that may help prove decisive."

"Please tell me it involves things that explode!" urged Deadpool, who was lingering near Moria and Rahne, "Pretty please with napalm on top!"

"It just might," said Xavier with a half grin, "Forge, did you bring the map I asked?"

"Of course," answered the inventive mutant.

Forge then opened the first briefcase and placed it on the floor. It was revealed to be a large holographic projector (of his own design of course). When he activated it a large three-dimensional map of the secret kingdom of Nova Roma formed in a dark greenish hue. It revealed a vast landscape that looked like an image taken right out of an old mosaic from the Roman Empire. The center was dominated by what they assumed was the imperial palace and a large mountain that looked over it.

"As you can see, Nova Roma itself is quite vast," said the Black King, "Much of it is dominated by the cityscape that houses its residents. And it is all centered around Selene's main palace, which of course she expanded and modified after she regained control."

"Typical of that woman," scoffed Emma, "I take it she ran her citizens ragged getting something that big built."

"You have no idea," said Xavier distantly.

"Might we be able to get their support?" asked Piotr, "If we rally the citizens against Selene's tyranny, that may prove helpful."

"We thought about that," said Moria, "But in Nova Roma Selene is regarded as a real goddess and she's instilled such fear in terror within the populace that nobody would even think of defying her. However, there is one person within the city that may share our interest in defeating Selene."

"And who might that be? Anyone we know?" asked Ororo.

"Not quite, but let's just say our paths have crossed in other ways," said Xavier.

He then nodded towards Forge and he went on to the next step. He hit a button that brought up a new holographic image over the map. It was an image of an attractive young woman with South American features who looked to be about 17 or so. She was wearing an elaborate display of Greco-Roman attire, which the pawns assumed was the style of this kingdom. But they got the sense there was more to her than her appearance let on.

"Wow, ain't she a looker," commented Remy.

That earned him an elbow to the ribs from Ororo and a look from Xavier, who went on without missing a beat.

"Her name is Amara Aquilla," said the Black King, "She's the former heir and princess to the throne of Nova Roma."

"Former?" said Kitty curiously.

"Yes, you see when Selene regained control over Nova Roma she immediately took out any possible threats to her power. That meant torturing and killing the royal family and all their supporters. But Amara was singled out for a particularly harsh form of humiliation."

"A young, attractive girl like her I can't say I'm surprised," scoffed Logan, "How bad was it?"

"Every bit as worse as what the lot of you suffered," said Xavier in a grim tone, "After making her watch her parents get tortured to death, Selene stripped her naked and paraded her into the main square. Then while her citizens watched, she had her elite guard rape her incessantly."

Many of the pawns, especially the women, shifted awkwardly at the mention of such torture. The memory of what Selene did to them still hung vividly in their minds and many were still struggling to deal with it. But it came as no surprise that Selene subjected other rivals to such torment.

"Poor girl," commented Bobby, "From princess to prisoner just like that."

"And she didn't stop there," said Xavier, "After her guards were 'done' with her, Selene had Amara dragged to the top of the dormant volcano looking over the city. Then using a special binding spell, she threw her in a lake of lava."

"Yeow! So she was burned alive?" said Julian.

"Not exactly," said Moria, "Ye see, Amara wasn't an ordinary princess. She happens to be a mutant with the power to control magma and volcanism. In fact, she comes from a long line of mutants with control over the earth. It's how they've kept the volcano guarding their kingdom at bay."

"I guess that makes sense," said Jean, "So does that mean throwing her into a volcano didn't kill her?"

"You are correct, my dear," said Xavier, "It merely encased her in a shell of rock, sealing her in a coma-like state. Her unique physiology allows her body to survive within the volcano."

"But why would Selene throw her there if she knew it wasn't gonna to kill her?" said Rogue.

"With Selene, who knows?" said Rahne, "Probably wanted to keep her 'preserved' or something so she could break her out and torture her again sometime. Or maybe she wanted one last piece of the royal bloodline alive to use as some sort of trump card if her reign was ever threatened."

"Those are possibilities, but Selene's reasons for keeping her alive are not our concern. What is our concern is that Miss Aquilla is someone else who shares our resentment for Selene. She has been wronged by her just as much as we have. If we can break her out of her rocky tomb, we can enlist her help in defeating Selene. I believe her power over the forces of volcanism may prove decisive against her."

"Why would she bother to help us?" said Mystique skeptically, "If memory serves me right, we're the ones that helped put Selene back in power. She may end up blaming us for all her suffering instead of Selene."

Xavier's expression hardened. He never liked being reminded of some of the things he helped Selene with in his ascension to power. They were all necessary deals that he had to make at the time and now they were coming back to haunt him. But there was no use dwelling on the past. He had to work with whatever cards he had been dealt.

"That's a matter that we'll have to get around," said Xavier, "But don't worry. I'm certain I can get through to her. That is why as soon as we descend over Nova Roma, Moria and I will break off from the rest of you to get Amara out. Emma and Danielle, you will come with us for support."

"Me? Why do I have to come?" said Emma strongly.

"Need I remind you of your predicament, Emma?" said the Black King with an equally stern response, "You're still on thin ice for your earlier transgressions. And as such you will be closely scrutinized through this affair. Should you serve loyally, your atonement may be mitigated. So I suggest you not question such orders."

Emma's expression tensed and she fell silent. Having helped Selene earlier, even if it was unwitting help, she was under constant suspicion from everybody. Nobody had really talked to her since they arrived here. That wasn't unusual given her persona, but now her very loyalty was in question. Because of that, she couldn't afford to be snide or crafty. She had to show she had some speck of remorse for what she did and work to remedy it.

"Wow, I ain't ever seen Emma shut up like that," commented Rogue.

"I know. It's great, isn't it?" said Jean with a smug smile of satisfaction.

Once Emma got the message, Xavier continued. He used the advanced graphics of the map to zoom in on a specific part of the volcano.

"Now even though Amara is in a deep coma, I should still be able to pick up traces of her mind. I also had a number of spies watch over Selene's takeover and made sure they noted where she the body was located."

"Always keep track of potential mistakes your enemy made," commented Scott.

"Precisely," said Xavier with a confident grin.

"So then while you're off rescuing the princess, what's the plan for us?" said Pietro, hiding a touch of sarcasm in his tone.

"You'll be using the direct approach," said the Black King, "Before we break off, we'll drop you off at wherever Selene has set up her operations. Your task is simple. Disrupt her, distract her, or just hurt her in whatever way you can until Moria and I return with Amara. And if any of her guards or minions stand in your way, do not hesitate to take them down."

It sounded simple enough. They drop right in on Selene and attack her. That was the kind of plan they were all hoping for because they all wanted a shot at this devious woman for what she did to them. Many were already excited at the prospects of facing this woman down.

"Fly in and beat the shit out of her," Logan summarized, "I like it!"

"Me too!" said Deadpool, "Simple, elegant, and destructive! It's the trifecta of everything that makes a day in the life of a merc worth living!"

"Yeah, and it'll give us a chance at a little payback for the others who chose to join her!' said Jubilee, clenching her fists.

This was where some like Pietro, Rogue, and Julian got a little nervous and showed some reservation.

"But what about the ones she's controlling against their will?" asked Julian, "Laura didn't join her voluntarily."

"And neither did Lorna," said Pietro, "What do we do about them?"

Xavier and Moria had a feeling this would come up. Selene always liked to shield herself in unique ways and using loved ones of her enemies was always a favorite tactic of hers. But they couldn't afford to let that stop them.

"You'll have to do what you can to either neutralize them or knock them out," said Xavier, "But if push comes to shove, you must be willing to go through them. You cannot allow Selene to use them as leverage over you. Because trust me, she'll make good use of it."

Pietro, Rogue, Julian, and even Mystique and Scott shifted somewhat at his words. They didn't like the idea of having to hurt their loved ones, but if that's what they had to do in order to get to Selene so be it. Their focus was always her. She was the one responsible for their plight and she would be the one that would pay.

"I'll do what I have to do," sighed Pietro.

"Ye better," warned Moria, "Because with Selene, ye won't be getting any second chances."

Nobody argued that. They were lucky enough to be in one piece after having endured Selene's torture chambers. Failure wasn't an option this time. There was no telling how far she would go if she got the better of them again. That was something they hoped they wouldn't have to consider.

"So that's the plan?" said Warpath, "You, Moria, Danielle, and Emma free Amara while the rest of us attack Selene head on? Because if the forces you described earlier are any indication, that may not be in our favor."

"It isn't," said Forge as he shut off the hologram projector and closed the first briefcase, "But that's where I come in. While you guys will be outnumbered and outgunned in most respects. You will still have an edge."

"We will?" said Kitty curiously.

"What kind of an edge are we talking about here?" asked Sam.

Then Danielle stepped in, who was probably the only one besides Xavier who knew what he was getting at.

"The kind of edge that helped me expand my powers to the point where I could deceive everybody and not just Selene," Danielle answered.

"What are you talking about, Danielle?" said Piotr.

"Oh come now, you guys have seen me use my powers. You know full well their limitations. Weren't you the least bit curious how I could cast such vivid illusions over great distances in a way that were so convincing that nobody gave them a second thought?"

When put like that it did seem pretty obvious. Many of the pawns exchanged glances as they thought back to it.

"The thought had crossed mah mind," said Rogue.

"Well let's just say I gave my powers the right kick," Danielle grinned, "Show them, Forge."

Forge grinned as well as he took out the second briefcase he brought with him and opened it. Inside, it revealed a series of small yet bulky syringe devices not unlike the ones Hank and Sinister used in their labs. They were all filled with some strange reddish liquid that had a weird glow to it. There was a distinctly powerful feel to it and once heightened the pawns curiosity.

"My dear pawns, allow me to introduce to you mutant growth hormone, or MGH," said Xavier proudly, "It is the result of years of research that has been done on the side using data complied from various different sources such as Sinister, Weapon X, and Norman Osborn."

"Weapon X?" growled Logan, "You used stuff from those assholes in this?"

"Yes, but only to an extent, Logan," assured Xavier, "If you recall, I made a deal with Norman Osborn long ago to free him from his obligations to the Kingpin."

"Oui, I remembers that," said Remy, "Everybody made a big deal over it."

"And for good reason," said the Black King, "You see, it was from Norman Osborn's famous goblin gas that MGH was derived from. Over the years I've provided Forge here with a steady supply for him to do research and testing, developing something that would not only enhance any mutant's natural abilities, but enhance their overall physicality."

"So it's like a steroid for mutants?" surmised Scott.

"Essentially yes," said Xavier, "It increases strength, speed, and endurance as well as enhancing mutant powers. It even has the potential to unlock secondary or tertiary powers."

"I don't know what tertiary means, but I'm sold!" said Bobby intently.

"It means a lot, Bobby. Trust me," said Danielle, "Just one injection of this stuff and I felt my powers expand to a level I never imagined. I wasn't just able to create illusions, I was able to form objects that were so real that it was indistinguishable from reality."

"So what would it mean for powers like mine?" asked Kitty, looking just as intent as Bobby.

"You won't know that until you try it," said Xavier.

"Well then what are we waiting for? Pass them out already and let's get juiced already! We'll be just like pro-wrestlers before Wrestlemania!" exclaimed Deadpool in excitement.

Xavier and Moria couldn't help but smile at their reaction. They had a feeling they would all be enthusiastic about enhancing their powers to fight Selene. But there were still limitations.

"Easy Deadpool, we can't just use this stuff now," said Forge.

"Aw, why not?" the merc with a mouth whined.

"For two reasons," he replied, "First, the effects of MGH are only temporary. Your powers and abilities will be given a boost, but only for a couple hours at the most. And second, these are all the doses I could come up with since so many Hellfire resources are frozen."

It was somewhat disappointing, but a short boost was better than no boost at all.

"Guess we'll have to make due," said Scott, "With any luck Selene's minions and the rest of her forces will be overwhelmed. Once we take them out we can fight our way to Selene herself."

"And do we do when we get there? Just kill her?" said Rogue, "Because that sure as hell doesn't seem like enough for her."

"It isn't," said Xavier, "But bear in mind she is immortal. Killing might be too great a challenge even with MGH."

"So then what do we do? Cut off all her limbs and rip out her vocal chords?" said Logan, "Because I'd be all for that!"

"We all would," conceded Moria, "But we also have to remember that stopping Selene comes before punishing her. It's a given that she's planning something. And whatever it is it's big."

"How big?" asked Ororo.

"Big enough to cause disruptions in the mystical energy field she has protecting Nova Roma and big enough to cause disruptions in nearly everything running on magic throughout the world," Xavier answered ominously, "Last night, I made a number of calls to our spies. Something appears to be gathering mystical energy from everywhere and I think it's reasonable to assume Selene is behind it."

"But if it's effecting mystical energy, why haven't I felt it?" wondered Jean.

"That I don't know. But whatever she's planning, we have to stop it!" said Xavier strongly.

All the pawns fell silent and Forge closed up the metal briefcase. All eyes were on the Black King now as he rallied the young mutants he work so hard to train over the years. This was going to be by far their biggest test. Selene was unlike any other force in the world. She wasn't a rival organization or some cocky leader looking to move in on their power. She was a force of true darkness. But should they succeed in stopping her they would all prove themselves truly worthy of Inner Circle royalty.

"You all remember what Sinister said in his final message," said Xavier intently, "There are some people in this world who are too dark to be contained. Selene is one of them. She can't be bargained with, she can't be reasoned with, and she can't be intimidated through fear or force. And she will never stop until she gets what she wants."

Then Xavier's tone shifted as he tried to maintain a calm and collected demeanor.

"From day one, I've taught you all to value the sanctity of order. I took control of the Hellfire Club so it could become a true agent for order. But Selene has completely gone against those principles. She has shown that she would rather plunge the world into chaos than maintain any sort of rational order. She is an agent of chaos. She is now the epitome of what we stand against! And we must not stop until she defeated, powerless, or dead. Is that clear?"

Xavier's loyal pawns nodded in affirmation. Scott, Jean, Piotr, Rogue, Warpath, Pietro, Logan, Mystique, Bobby, Jubilee, Kitty, Sam, Julian, Rahne, Remy, Emma, Ororo, Deadpool, and Danielle had all been trained and conditioned in the ways of the Hellfire Club. They all came to understand and uphold the principles of order and power. Even know when the power of the Inner Circle was stretched and weakened, they sought to uphold it. It made Charles and Moria so proud and gave them plenty to look forward to when all was said and done.

"We're with you, Lord Xavier," said Scott strongly, "We'll stop Selene! We won't let her bring more chaos to this world!"

"And we'll do it while humming a catchy tune and blowing stuff up!" added Deadpool.

Every pawn seemed equally enthused. They had the stern, cold look of determination that true Hellfire agents were conditioned to have. They were ready to kill, maim, and destroy anything that stood in their way from their goal. It was the kind of grit they would need if they were to face Selene and succeed. Xavier and Moria exchanged glances. Then they turned back to their pawns.

"Excellent," said the Black King with a look of approval, "Then it's time to move out. Everybody get on stealth jet and strap yourselves in. Nova Roma is less than two hours away so let's not keep our former Black Queen waiting."

"Oh yeah, because you just know how much she champions patience," said Warpath, already seething for a shot at that woman.

"What about me?" asked Forge as he handed Xavier the briefcase containing the doses of MGH, "Should I come along just in case?"

"No Forge. I need you to go back to New York City and meet up with Jamie Madrox at X-Industrial. Your job is to unfreeze all of the Hellfire Club's assets and reactivate our base of power. We'll need if we're to rebuild after Selene's defeat."

"Of course," said Forge, "I'll use the other jet then. But for all our sake I hope you're as good as your confidence implies, sir. Because Inner Circle or not, I don't want to wake up to world being run by Selene's whims."

"Believe me, Forge. None of us does," said Moria, "Good luck."

"Oh don't worry about me," said the Native American mutant, "Save all the luck for yourselves. It sounds as though you're going to need it."

With the supplies and plan complete, Xavier and Moria said goodbye to Forge and joined the rest of the pawns in the stealth jet. Moria led them all in, making her way into the cockpit where she promptly started up the engines. Xavier stood back and watched each one of his pawns enter. Once they were all in he entered as well, turning back to take one last look at Forge and the Villa. He spent years of his life planning for the day when he would finally take down Selene and phase out the last of the old order. It hadn't always gone as well as he would have liked, but he was confident it would one day be a reality. Now it was finally within his grasp.

With a look of determination, Xavier joined the rest of his pawns in the jet and took his seat in the front next to Moria.

"Is everybody strapped in and ready?" said Moria.

"You even gotta ask?" growled Logan, "Just get us to this Nova Roma place so we can start rippin' Selene to shreds!"

Taking Logan's word for it, Moria activated the thrusters and the jet took off. The time for rest and planning was over. They had all fumed over Selene and what she did to them. They had all seethed at how they were going to make her pay. Now it was time to put their raging emotions into action. Selene, their former mistress and Black Queen, had defied the Hellfire Club and stirring chaos in a world that needed order. She could not escape their justice any longer. Like anyone else who threatened the Inner Circle, her soul will be burned in Hellfire.

* * *

**Nova Roma – Temple of Orcus**

The roads up to the Temple of Orcus were treacherous and difficult. There were no paved roads or clear trails up to it. Selene had them all blockaded and destroyed after its construction was complete. Only a select few could ever venture into the temple. The only way up was through special hover transports from the Hellfire Club. Those that were allowed were specially controlled by Selene. She made sure their minds and wills were completely hers like she did with all her minions. Their jobs were to just maintain the temple and prepare it for her eventual return.

It wasn't built for worship or public gatherings. Its purpose was simple and clear. It was to be the centerpiece of the final ritual that would give Selene the ultimate power she craved. She had it built years ago when she just regained power. Since then it had just been a matter of gathering the right materials and support. She had that now so there was nothing left standing in her way. It was so close. Ultimate power was just within her grasp. All she had to do was carry out one special ritual and it would all be hers.

The transports settled in a large clearing on a plateau that stretched out from the base of the temple. From this area one could see all of Nova Roma down below. When Selene and her minions stepped out, they greeted with the thin mountain air. It was strangely warm for an area this high up. A powerful heat seemed to emanate from the large temple, which stood over a dozen stories high. Selene's minions patiently waited for their queen's next orders. They just stood in silence and watched as she walked up to the temple steps.

"Finally," she proclaimed, "I have returned!"

The Black Queen then turned towards her pawns.

"Start unloading the transports!" she commanded, "Wanda, I want you and Kurt to get Illyana set up inside. The rest of you get all the ritual materials inside and begin setting them up in the central chamber. Make sure every relic stays intact! If one piece is damaged I'll see to it that all those responsible are disemboweled on the spot!"

"We will be careful, Mistress Selene," said Wanda strongly, who stood close by her mentor, "What of the guards and assassins? What will their role be?"

"What else? Defense," said Selene, "Have them all establish a perimeter around the temple. If by some remote chance anyone foolish enough tries to interrupt my ritual, have them killed on sight!"

"It will be done, Mistress," said Wanda, "And if I may be so bold to ask a question…what are the chances Charles Xavier will find us here?"

Selene folded her arms and laughed.

"Xavier? Ha! By the time he finds out about my operations here it'll already be too late," she said confidently, "He probably still thinks I'm trying to take control of the Inner Circle. So I'm not worried about him. Let him and his little pawns waste their time while I send the world into a pit of darkness!"

She had every reason to be confident. At no point, even when she thought Xavier was dead, did she drop any hints as to her true plans. She may be confident, but she was no fool. She wasn't about to take any chances when she was this close.

"You heard your, mistress! Get to work!" barked Wanda to the others.

"Yeah, whatever you crazy witch," growled Sabretooth, who never liked being bossed around like this.

"Watch it, furball. One wrong word and you'll be the first to feel Mistress Selene's wrath," said Warren with a dark grin.

"How about I rip those pretty wings of yours off and stuff em up your ass?" growled the feral mutant.

"How about I skin you like the animal you are and use your pelt as a rug?" said Betsy, formed a psionic blade and held it to his neck.

"That supposed to scare me, babe?"

"No, but it should at least remind you whose in charge," she said sternly, "So long as you're with us you'll follow Mistress Selene! And if you want any chance at the rewards you've been promised, including Wolverine's head, you'll go along!"

Sabretooth growled bitterly. As much as he hated taking orders from weird punks like this, he hated Wolverine even more. He was willing to put up with this crap so long as it gave him another shot at his nemesis. He also didn't mind having access to the still submissive X-23. He loved how he got ravage her without an ounce of resistance. After Logan was dead he hoped to keep her as a prize of sorts. But he had to get through this crazy ordeal first.

"Not bad," said Warren, voicing his approval at her tactics, "I'm impressed with how you've taken control."

"Thanks luv," Betsy replied, "I already decided that I'm not going to let this be another failure. I'm going to see this through no matter what."

"That's my girl," said Warren, giving her an affectionate gesture, "And just think, when this is all over we can savor the darkness forever!"

Betsy responded to her gesture by leaning into his warmth a bit. But before they could get too person, the others reminded them of the task at hand.

"Save it for the next orgy, you two!" said Tabitha.

"Yeah, come on and help us unload the stuff!" said Roberto.

Betsy and Warren parted reluctantly while Sabretooth shrugged them both off. He started shadowing Laura, who was already obediently unloading boxes and secure trunks full of supplies. He gave her a hungry snarl, letting her know he was coming for her later, before getting to work himself. She didn't respond. Her face just tensed and she went about her duties.

The rest of Selene's minions followed suit. Alex, Tabitha, Monet, Roberto, and Lorna coordinated to unload the mystical artifacts first and the rest of the supplies afterwards. There was a lot to unload since this promised to be a very big ritual. But the most sensitive and fragile cargo by far were the twelve mutant infants from Sinister. They were all kept docile within incubators. For them, Magneto was tasked with using his magnetic powers to carefully maneuver them out of the craft and into the temple. And since his mind was already warped to Selene's will, she knew he wouldn't dare screw it up.

"What do you think she's going to use the babies for anyways?" pondered Alex as he worked with Lorna to remove some of the smaller artifacts.

"Does it matter?" scoffed Monet as she effortlessly lifted two heavy crates at once, "Mistress Selene said they were vital parts of the ritual and that's all I need to know. Try not to think of the details. You'll just waste your time. Focus only on the end result. That's what this is all about."

"The end result…right," mused Alex.

Alex watched as Magneto carefully floated the incubators containing the infants out all at once. He then found himself looking over at Lorna, who had been staying close to him since the beginning. He wasn't sure why, but a part of him felt wary about what may happen to those children. Mistress Selene had few limits when it came to sacrifice. But he kept shutting it aside. Monet was right. All that mattered was the end result. It was how he had Lorna. So long as he kept this dark feeling that had been imparted to him it would all be okay. At least that's what he kept telling himself.

He and the rest of Selene's followers fell silent as they continued to work. While they handled the materials, the many guards and assassins that accompanied them swarmed out and got into defensive positions all around the temple. Some were what was left of Selene's elite guard from the manor, some were the top Hand assassins she retained after she took it over, and some were from her royal guard from the imperial palace. They were all a formidable force and they were all mindlessly obedient to Selene, which is just what she would need for something that like this. When dealing with power this grand, nobody, not even her, could afford any mistakes.

While the other minions continued unloading and the guards got into position, Wanda and Kurt went about getting Illyana set up inside the temple. Since she was stubborn and defiant, they had to put her in a separate transport and immobilize her. Wanda cast a paralysis spell so she would be more docile. But it didn't stop her from making comments.

"Ungh…let me go you witch!" she groaned as Kurt brought her out.

"Quiet!" ordered Wanda, "You're lucky Mistress Selene doesn't want any further harm to you or I'd cripple more than just your limbs!"

"Bite me, Slavic bitch."

Wanda was tempted to hit her with a hex bolt for that, but she restrained herself knowing that Mistress Selene was watching. Thankfully she fell silent as Wanda led Kurt towards the steps of the temple where Selene was waiting for them. From there they were ready to enter the sacred halls.

Selene led Kurt and Wanda into the heart of the temple where the grandest of all rituals would be conducted. The temple itself was mostly open space. It was arranged like a giant inverted cross with the entrance being at the bottom end. The halls were vast and supported by rows of columns that extended into high ceilings where elaborate, decorative chandeliers hung. And all along the ceilings and walls were elaborate decorations of Greco-Roman art and relics. But what made it different from the other temples of Nova Roma was that there were no images or statues of gods or goddesses. The only creatures of divinity that were allowed here were demons, hell lords, and witches. But there was a good reason for that.

At the center of the temple where each branch of the cross converged there was a large circular stage area. Underneath that stage was a large star-like shape that had 12 main points on it that encircled a rectangular doorway with a clear opening. There were also a number of small pentagrams surrounding the area in a perfectly symmetrical form. It was one of the most elaborate occult displays Kurt or Wanda had ever seen. It definitely had that ominous, macabre feeling to it that many of Selene's rituals had. Only this was bigger than all of those put together.

"Ah, my sanctuary," said the Black Queen in a rare show of contentment.

In an elaborate gesture she flicked her wrists and cast a quick spell. Right on cue the oil fueled chandeliers above were magically lit and soon the whole temple was illuminated by the ominous glow of orange/yellow flames. It put the sheer size and scope of the temple into perspective and left Wanda with a great deal of awe and excitement.

"Set the girl over here," ordered Selene, pointing to an area just in front of where she was standing.

Kurt wordlessly obeyed, laying the bound body of Illyana Rasputin down where his mistress ordered. She remained silent, but she still cast Kurt a menacing glance. He ignored it as did Selene and Wanda. They were too caught up in the grandeur of the temple.

"It's amazing, my mistress," she said, "So you had this temple built for just this ritual?"

"Of course, my pupil," answered Selene, "Such a ritual requires a grand stage to put it all together. You can't expect ultimate power to emerge from modest settings."

"But vhat exactly is zhis ultimate power you have been vorking for, Mistress?" asked Kurt curiously, "You've spoken extensively about what it will mean for zhis vorld. But vhat does it entail?"

Selene grinned in anticipation as she started walking around the central stage where the symbols converged. It was here where it would all come together. It was just a matter of putting the pieces together.

"Do you two remember that little speech I gave you when you first joined?" she said, not taking her eyes off the layout, "The one where I talked about the world of demons, darkness, and how they all fit together?"

"Of course, my mistress," said Wanda, "You taught us a great deal on such matters."

"Oh I taught you the how. But did you ever stop to ponder the why?" Selene mused, "Think about how it all works. In the hellish realms of demons and hell lords, there is suffering and toil. To the souls that fall prey to such darkness they it is agony. It is torment that defies all mortal perceptions. To them it is terrible, evil, and reprehensible. But to the demons themselves, it is as normal and enjoyable to them as it would be to us if we were to do something we took pleasure in. It's all a matter of interpretation."

It was an interesting way of looking at such matters. But that was part of what was so unique about Selene. She saw the world in ways no other human being ever had. It was twisted and dark, yet it was still so very unique.

"It all comes back to that nasty little thing we all know as morality," said Selene as she now stood in the very center of the room, "Put the fear of death and eternal suffering in anyone's mind and they lose it. Put it in everybody's mind and they all cower in fear. Take away all certainty and hope and they'll just start tearing at each other. Whether it's man, beast, or insect it's all the same. And that's what this ritual is going to change! It's going to take those foolish notions and turn them on their heads!"

Wanda couldn't help but smile intently as she watched the excited look on her mistress's expression grow. But Kurt stayed silent and stoic.

"Is zhat vhat zhis is about? Stirring fear in all living things?"

"Oh that's only part of it," grinned the Black Queen, "Even in the world of demons and darkness there are the hell lords who rule over them. I'm sure you've read tales of Mephistopheles, Blackheart, Dormammu, Satannish, and Belasco. But what makes them different and unique among all other dark forces is their ability to control their domain. When they venture into our world their power is limited, but in their world they are unmatched. They dictate and direct that fear, hopelessness, and suffering upon the souls they control. Whether for their own kind of justice for their personal amusement, they decide on a whim the fate of all. That is ultimate power. And that is what I seek!"

It was quite a power to seek. Kurt was beginning to understand why she considered this sort of power to be so vast. As someone who studied extensively on the subject of demons and hell lords, he knew the scope and breadth of such power. Nowhere in his studies did he ever hear of a human, immortal or otherwise, wielding such power. But Selene was determined to break that trend.

"With this ritual, I will not just grasp unlimited levels of power!" she went on, "I will take the very rules of the mortal world and shape them to my own desires! I will tear this pathetic world apart and turn it into my own personal realm of Hellfire! Every living mortal will be subject to my whim! And I shall rule over the fates of all the power of a true Hell Lord!"

Clenching her fists, Selene gazed around at the elaborate layout of her temple and savored the ambience. Such power had always been her greatest desire. She spent many lifetimes working for it. It was only now it was within her grasp. Her whole immortal life was leading her to this point. Her excitement was apparent. Wanda seemed to share it. But Kurt remained as distant as ever, as was typical of anyone under a spell. At least now he understood.

"It sounds quite grand, Mistress Selene," said Kurt.

"Oh it's more than that," she boasted, "And if it's all the same to you I'd appreciate it if you got to work with the others. I've waited many lifetimes for this and my patience grows thin."

"Of…of course," said Kurt obediently, "But if I may inquire to just one more matter, what will this special ritual involve?"

Selene rolled her eyes. Kurt had always been so full of questions, even after Wanda put a spell on him. It was nice he inquired so much about the ways of darkness, but at a time like this is was just getting on her nerves.

"You need not concern yourself with that. Just do as you're told!" she said sternly as she then turned to her apprentice, "Wanda, start the setup."

"Yes, my Mistress. Come Kurt," said Wanda, grabbing his arm and pulling him aside, "We must get to work. No more question."

Kurt hesitated at first. He still wanted answers. But under such stern commands from his mistress and his love, he conceded to their whims.

"Of…of course, my love," he said, "I'll be silent."

Kurt followed his lover, obediently doing as she said. The elaborate setup for the ritual needed careful and skilled hands and as Selene's longest tenured minions they were the only ones equipped to handle it. But even though he vowed to stay silent, that didn't mean he would let this go. There was still uncertainty within him. And even as he and Wanda began putting the materials together, it continued to grow more ominous. How it would affect him and his actions remained to be seen.

* * *

**Nova Roma – Skies Overhead**

The flight to Nova Roma from the secret Hellfire Villa was a short one. Once the stealth jet was airborne Moria and Xavier activated the afterburners and accelerated towards the hidden kingdom, using the advanced tracking software provided to them by the late Mr. Sinister. The pawns were silent for most of the ride, only talking to go over plans and debate who was going to get a shot at Selene first. They all wanted their time with her. The closer they got the more their hatred and anger seethed. It was sure to fuel them as they entered the battle. But Xavier continued to remind them that they were to stick to the plan.

After about an hour of flight, the jet descended from the clouds and started zeroing in on Nova Roma. The bad weather in New York appeared to follow Selene. The clouds were thick and wrought with an ominous feel. There was no thunder or lightning, but there was still something very dark about them. The tracking signal from the twelve mutant infants was strong. They were definitely close. But in order to maintain the element of surprise they kept a safe distance from the area and kept the advanced stealth features of the aircraft going full throttle. This aircraft had a special invisibility cloak to both radar and visual observation. But knowing Selene she would also use mystical defenses as well. That quickly became apparent as they flew over what seemed to be just endless stretches of jungle and mountains.

"Is this the place?" said Warpath as he gazed out the window.

"According to Sinister's tracking sensor, the infants are within this area. But none of our other scanners are picking up on anything," said Moria.

"That's probably because of some mystical cloak," said Scott, "Can we pass through it in this jet?"

"This jet was built for stealth, not magic," answered Moria, "We don't want to risk taking damage or alerting Selene of our presence."

"So then how do we get through?" asked Ororo.

"Simple," said Xavier, who was helping Moria fly the aircraft, "We fight magic with magic. Jean?"

"I'm on it, Lord Xavier," said Jean Grey, who undid her harness and got out of her seat.

The young psychic looked out the window and closed her eyes, focusing her energy and powers on her mystical abilities. Using the connection she established with the Phoenix, she summoned its power and used it to expand her mystical senses. It wasn't long before she sensed the field and the power behind it.

"What do you think, Jeannie? Feel anything?" asked Logan.

"It looks simple enough," she said, her eyes glowing the fiery red and orange colors of the Phoenix, "It's a standard deception spell, just on a larger scale. I'm guessing Selene has a bunch of mid-level mystics keeping it up."

"Can you break it?" asked Pietro.

"I should be able to with a revelation spell," said Jean, "But if we're to keep Selene from picking up on our presence I'll have to open just a small window. It'll have to be quick though or else someone will take notice."

"Duly noted, lass," said Moria, "Just give us the word."

"I will. Just hold on," said Jean as she started concentrating harder.

"Ooh, I love it when hot redheads start doing magic tricks! Can you do a few card tricks while we're waiting?" said Deadpool obnoxiously.

"Not this time, Wade. Power like this is going to require my full focus," said Jean strongly.

"Ah, you're no fun."

Ignoring Deadpool's childish comments, Jean stood in the center of the jet between the passenger seats and began summoning her phoenix power. They were still new to her, but she had a much firmer grasp of them after last night thanks to Scott. Soon her body was consumed in a golden halo of fiery flames. She chanted strongly a series of phrases in a mix of Latin and native South American languages, the same form as which this veil had been cast. As she chanted Moria and Xavier gripped the controls firmly, waiting for the word.

"Damn, that's hot," said Bobby as he watched Jean work.

"I know, Scott's a lucky guy," grinned Remy.

Those comments drew the ire of Emma Frost, who was sitting right behind when she heard them. She tried not to focus on such matters, but they were hard to avoid. This mess had been made possible in large part by her because she helped Monet, which also happened to help Selene. Ironically her desire to get back at Jean seemed to make her more powerful because now she had a new source of magic to work with. It was one more luxury Jean had that she never would. But she set aside her bitterness for now, focusing more on getting back in the good graces of Xavier and the rest of the Inner Circle. And the best way to do that was to help take down Selene.

For about a minute Jean worked her magic, the mystical flames around her pulsing and flaring. It was as if she was looking for something. They all assumed she was looking for a weak part of the field. And after some thorough searching she seemed to find it.

"**Okay, I think I've got it! Get ready to make a sharp turn to your left in about five seconds!"**

"We're ready when you are," said Xavier as he and Moria gripped the controls intently.

The next five seconds went by in slow motion as Jean chanted three mystical phrases with the power of the Phoenix clearly showing in her tone. When she finished the last one the fiery aura surrounding her flashed brightly and outside in the humid tropical air, a seemingly innocuous part of the sky became wavy and distorted. Xavier and Moria saw it and for a brief moment, they saw the entrance in. Then Jean gave the word.

"**Now!"**

They immediately banked the jet to the left, causing it to arc severely. This caused heavy turbulence that everybody felt, forcing them to hold on tightly and endure heavy g-forces. Through these rigors, Moria directed the aircraft right into the narrow opening. As soon as the jet was in the opening closed. And the landscape outside suddenly appeared very differently.

"Whoa, did you have to make it that rough? If I wanted to ride a roller coaster I'd go to Six Flags or join a Dutch S&M club!" said Deadpool.

"Whine about it later, Wade. Look outside," said Ororo.

Everybody turned their attention to the windows. Despite the dark clouds and tropical haze, they could make out the landscape below. And it was quite a sight.

"Wow…" said Sam.

"I know. Wow," said Kitty in agreement, "It's like a page out of a history book!"

"Wouldn't know anything about that since I slept through history in school," said Jubilee, "But it's still impressive."

"Yeah, just not as clean or regal as you would expect for the last Roman city," said Danielle.

"It's bein' ruled by, Selene. What do you expect?" made Rogue.

That made sense. While the layout of the city was vast and nicely planned, they could make out plenty of poverty and despair. Aside from the temples and bath hourses, much of the buildings, which they assumed were residential, looked dingy and in a state of disrepair. A lot of roads weren't very kempt either. And they noticed in many squares elaborate statues depicting Selene. It was surreal to see such a kingdom, but Selene had definitely left her mark.

"So this is Nova Roma," said Warpath, "It's hidden, remote, and lush. It really is a perfect place to hide."

"I wouldn't say that," said Julian, "Check out the imperial palace up ahead."

The pawns turned their attention up ahead as the jet flew over the palace that stood just at the base of the mountain. Compared to the rest of the city it was a stark change. It was so huge and opulent, bearing all the elaborate opulence of a Greco-Roman structure. No doubt it took the blood and toil of countless slaves to build it. It perfectly fit in with Selene's tastes.

"Even by my standards, that's quite a palace," said Emma.

"I know. Too bad we have to ruin it," said Piotr sternly, "I gather Selene's inside?"

Moria and Xavier did a quick scan. They assumed that Selene would hold up in her most powerful stronghold. But to their surprise their scanners and a quick telepathic scan by Xavier didn't pick up anything except guards and servants.

"Hmm…I can't sense any traces of her or her minions inside," said Xavier.

"Aye, and Sinister's scanners indicate the children aren't there either," said Moria.

"Then where could they be?" asked Mystique, "There's only so many places that bitch can hide in this place."

Moria recalibrated the scanners to zero in on the signal. Despite the weather outside and the mystical interference, the signal from the mutant children was still coming in strong.

"If I be reading this scanner right, the signal is coming in from somewhere up the mountain. There seems to be some kind of structure up there."

"What kind of structure? Who would build anything on top of a mountain anyways?" said Logan in his gruff tone.

"It's Selene. I'm sure she has her reasons," said Xavier as he directed the plane up towards the mountain, "It appears to be a temple of sorts and quite a large one at that."

"If it's anything like her palace I'm sure it's hard to miss," said Rogue.

"Is that you think she is?" asked Piotr.

"If the children are there I'm sure Selene isn't far behind," answered Xavier, "Hold on, I'm taking us over the summit. There, we can separate so I can locate Princess Amara."

The pawns all knew this part would come eventually. The plan was to get the comatose princess out from her volcano tomb and get her assistance. Some were still skeptical that she would be able to help them much. But given what was done to her and her kingdom they figured she would have a major grudge against Selene and that was enough for them.

"So how exactly are you going to find this Amara girl?" asked Pietro, "It's a pretty big mountain out there."

"I'll find her," said Xavier confidently, "She may be in a coma, but my powers will be expanded and allow me to pick up the faint traces of her mind."

"I'm also printing out a map of the magma chambers within the mountain," said Moria as she brought up a quick geological readout of the mountain, "Once Selene threw her in her body probably would have floated down through a fissure. There are only so many areas it could have gone so she should show up in one of them."

"How long do you think it will take?" said Logan, "We all know damn well how quickly things can get messy with Selene."

"I don't know," said Xavier bluntly, "But rest assured, we'll work as fast as possible. Just keep the fight going until we arrive."

"I doubt that will be a problem," said Mystique bitterly, "Selene got the better of us once. We won't let it happen again."

"We better not," said Rahne.

It wasn't the most comforting assurance Xavier could have offered. If it took too long for him to free Amara, they could be in trouble. But nobody even considered the possibility of Selene taking them down again. They were all too focused and pissed off to let that happen. It was more of a concern over whether anything would be left once Xavier and the princess arrived.

After a steep climb in the jet, Xavier and Moria brought it into hover just over the summit. Then they undid their harnesses and got up from their seats.

"Scott, you and Warpath take over," ordered Xavier, "Keep it steady until we're off and clear."

"Yes sir," said Scott as he undid his harness.

They then made their way towards the rear of the jet where the hatch was. Along the way Danielle got up to join them and so did Emma. However, Emma was still a little hesitant. She didn't like being kept out of the fight against Selene. But she knew everybody's trust in her was still shaky at best. At the very least she had to regain the trust of Charles Xavier.

"Have fun, Frost," muttered Logan under his breath.

"Shut up," she said bitterly.

Xavier shot her a stern look, reminding her that she was not in his good graces yet and she had best cooperate if she was to have a chance. Luckily, she heeded his silent warning.

Once at the rear of the jet, Xavier opened up the briefcase containing the doses of Mutant Growth Hormone. He took out three syringes. He gave one to Moria and one to Danielle while keeping one for himself. He had used this before when he was first putting his plan to thwart Selene in motion. It was how he was able to so effectively cloak his mind and those of his cohorts. And he was going to need that power again for this fight.

"We'll be arming ourselves with MGH to make our search quicker," said Xavier.

"Don't you need someone to follow along to fly you around the mountain?" asked Sam.

"No need, Samuel," said Xavier, "MGH not only enhances my telepathy, it gives me advanced telekinetic abilities that I can use for flight and for boring through the rock."

"Wow, neat!" said Julian, "Does that mean it'll give me telepathy or something?"

"You'll have to wait and see for yourself," said the Black King.

Xavier and Danielle prepared to inject themselves. Emma was about to reach for a dose too. She figured since she was going along for this too she would also get a dose. But Moria denied her.

"Not so fast, lass. You don't get to use MGH," she told her.

"What?! Why not? Don't I deserve as much a boost for this fight as everyone else?" said Emma strongly.

"No," said Xavier, grunting as he injected the powerful compound into his system, "You do not get the privilege of more power for your transgressions. You'll have to rely on your own wits."

"And that's too bad. You're missing out," grinned Danielle as she injected herself as well.

Emma's expression tensed angrily, but she held her tongue. The last thing she wanted to do was give Charles more reason to punish her. It would be hard enough to do her part without a boost, but she took some comfort in the knowledge that her wits were strong and had served her well.

Emma watched along with the others as Xavier and Danielle tensed somewhat as the compound took effect. All their muscles seemed to contract and there was a brief discomfort. But it soon passed and they soon stood stronger with traces of the new power seething in their eyes. Many couldn't wait to get their taste of this power as well. Then to the surprise of some they saw Moria prepare to inject herself.

"Wait Lady McTaggart, what are you doing?" said Jubilee with a concerned look.

"Ungh…don't worry, lass. I'm just joining the fight," she said, grunting with intent as the compound took effect, "MGH works on humans too. It grants them mutant powers. For me it gives me all the extra strength, agility, and durability Forge mentioned earlier. It also gives me the power to elicit a deafening sonic yell. It should come in handy with breaking rock."

"A sonic yell?" said Deadpool, "You know there are so many dirty jokes I could make about that I don't know where to start! Somebody pick a number! Quick!"

"Knock it off, Deadpool! That's me mother you're talking about," scorned Rahne.

Moria laughed as the power took effect. She had come to love this feeling. She always resented being one of the few humans in the Inner Circle. But with MGH she could become every bit as powerful and dangerous as the others. She hoped to one day perfect a process that would make her powers permanent. But for now this would have to do.

Once the MGH took effect, Xavier stood near the hatch with Moria, Emma, and Danielle close behind. Then while Scott and Warpath carefully kept the jet in a state of hover, he turned the latch and opened it. A sharp gust of cool air blew through the jet. The young pawns of the Inner Circle held on as they all turned back to their king to see him off. This was going to be the biggest fight they had ever faced. Their king had brought them this far and now they were going to be on their own for a while.

"Good luck, Lord Xavier," said Jean.

"Don't worry about me, my dear," said the Black King, "In this world you make your own luck. I expect that you will make yours in the battle to come."

"We will. You can be sure of that," growled Logan.

"I'm sure I can," he said with a confident smile, "We'll catch up soon, my pawns. Until then, be sure you give Selene hell. And rest assured when all this is over, your rewards will be vast and unparalleled."

The pawns smiled back, watching as their king used his newfound telekinesis to levitate himself and Moria, Danielle, and Emma with him. Then with impressive speeds, he flew out into the crisp mountain air. The clouds were still ominously dark and growing darker by the minute. But nothing was going to stop Charles Xavier or the rest of them from reaching their goal.

Once Xavier and his team was clear, Scott and Warpath took command and activated the jet thrusters. Now they were on their way to the temple. Scott, Jean, Piotr, Rogue, Warpath, Pietro, Logan, Mystique, Bobby, Jubilee, Kitty, Sam, Julian, Rahne, Remy, Ororo, and Deadpool had all come a long way from their place in the Hellfire Club. This would certainly be the ultimate test of their dedication and loyalty. They were all certain that their king would do his part. Now it was time to do theirs.

"Wonder what kind of reward he's talkin' about," pondered Remy.

"Hope it involves boobs and things that explode! Or both!" said Deadpool.

"Worry about rewards later," said Scott firmly as he took command, "For now, our only concern is Selene! This woman has committed too many unacceptable atrocities! She betrayed us and she betrayed the Hellfire Club! It's time she start paying for them! So let's do it! Let's make sure she suffers!"

* * *

**Temple of Orcus – Central Ritual Area**

While Xavier and his pawns were still making their approach, Selene's minions worked fast at the behest of their mistress. They followed her strict instructions in unpacking the relics and putting together an elaborate setup in the central sage area of the temple. The many relics and supplies made for quite a display, one that she emphasized would be necessary in order for this ritual to work. Some were just there to add to the overall mystical energy of the room. Having so many together in such close proximity was usually dangerous because it disrupted mystical energy fields, but Selene could care less what instability she caused so long as it did the job.

When her minions were finished, the stage stood in a macabre display of occult power. All around the center stage were special candle stands made of solid gold. In each stand were rows of black candles with specially treated whacks that made them burn extra brighter. In between each stand were small pillars with a series of special statues Selene had been collecting on the side. They were all statues of powerful Hell Lords, which included Mophisto and Dormammu. One she had to steal from Baron Mordu himself, but it was worth it. Inside the rink of candles and statues there were elaborate symbols and markings, a mix of Latin, Hindi, and Olmec text, that traced patterns up and throughout the central stage. They all converged around the twelve-sided shape in the center, which was made up of two six-sided stars that were superimposed on one another. But it was within the symbol where the most potent aspects of the ritual were set to take place.

On each point of the stars, a special pedestal about waist high was set up with a plush red velvet pillow on top. Lying atop each of these pillows was one of the infant mutants that Sinister had created. They had been removed from their incubators and placed bear, wearing nothing but ceremonial cloths that had a specific symbol of the zodiac etched into it. Some of the infants fussed, but Wanda cast a spell to make sure they would stay asleep. Inside the ring of unwitting infants, Selene had four smaller pedestals arranged in two-by-two rows. On each pedestal was a shard of the blood stone. Two were from her private collection, one had been kept in the temple, and the other has been taken from the Hand. They were all neatly laid out, ready to begin. They would act as the catalyst, but not the medium. That task would fall upon the one who stood in the center of it all. Illyana Rasputin, who had been unwittingly abducted to take part in this, was chained by her wrists and ankles in the large doorway that stood in the center. She had also been dressed in a ceremonial outfit that consisted of a yellow bikini-like piece with special matching stockings and graders. She also wore a mysterious necklace with a strange black diamond in the center. She continued to try and resist, but Selene wasn't having it.

As for Selene herself, she made sure she was dressed for the part. Her attire consisted of a special black corset with elaborate embroiders that just barely contained her ample breasts and a matching thong and gartered stockings with similar embroideries. She also wore an elegant, black hooded cape with elaborate markings. Strapped to her side was an elaborate sword and case, giving her both a regal and warrior-like appearance. And to make sure she truly looked the part, she wore matching black lipstick and her best perfume. There was no way she was going to accept ultimate power without looking the part of a true Hell Goddess.

Now standing in the center of the stage before the podiums with the blood stones, she was finally ready to begin. Many lifetimes of preparation and anticipation had all lead up to this point. She was ready to assume that which was rightfully hers. She was ready to take her rightful place in this disgusting world. Watching from outside the setup, her minions stood and watched. Wanda, Alex, Tabitha, Kurt, Warren, Betsy, Monet, Magneto, Roberto, Sabretooth, Laura, and Lorna were all staying back against the wall, watching with intent. Sabretooth was the only one that didn't seem to care all that much. He didn't understand the gravity of what was going on. He was just along for the ride.

"How long is this shit gonna take?" growled Sabretooth, "I got places to go and wolverines to maim!"

"Quiet!" scorned Tabitha, "Save your complaining for after the ritual!"

"I'll complain whenever the hell I want, bitch!"

"Not for this!" spat Roberto, flashing his solar powers briefly in a threatening manner, "Mistress Selene has spend a long time preparing for this day! And it will NOT be ruined! Especially not by you!"

"Ease up on the fireworks, kid," growled Sabretooth, shoving him aside, "I'll be quiet, but I'm just getting bored with all this magic shit."

"Well don't worry. It'll all be over soon," said Warren in an ominous tone.

Sabretooth rolled his eyes and just leaned back against the wall, hoping this would be over soon. He looked to his right where Laura, Lorna, and Magneto were standing. They all had the same blank looks on their faces they had since the beginning. He almost envied them because they didn't have to deal with this boring wait. This all had better lead to something. He would go to great lengths to hunt down his enemies, but this was pushing it.

Selene ignored his comments, too caught up in the moment to care. With everything in place she was ready to begin. From her side, she withdrew her sword and held it firmly, summoning within her the dark power that was brewing with such intensity. Everybody could feel it in the air, that cold veil of darkness swarming over them. To her minions it was exciting. But to Illyana, it was sickening.

"Errr! Let me go! I'm warning you! My brother is coming for me! And when he finds you…Augh!"

Illyana's words were cut off by a sharp hex bolt from Wanda. As Selene's apprentice, she was the only one who was allowed to be close during this ceremony. She wore attire similar, but less elaborate, than Selene's. She was standing just outside the twelve-tipped star, holding a dagger and awaiting her mistress's orders. Kurt was not far behind, keeping a close eye on her as he always did.

"Sorry about that, my mistress," said Wanda.

"It is of no consequence, my apprentice," said Selene as she gazed in disapproval at Illyana, "This little whelp has no idea what she's in for. She still thinks that oafish brother of hers is coming to save her. It's really pathetic."

Illyana groaned and tried to say something in response, but Selene wouldn't let her. She walked up to her and grabbed her young face and looked her in the eye with that cold, penetrating gaze.

"Believe me, Miss Rasputin, I never planned on having you involved in this. But since Charles Xavier destroyed the manor along with some other vital supplies, I have to improvise."

"Hnn…why me?" she gasped weakly.

"That's the tricky part," smirked the Black Queen, "You see, this ritual involves opening a very special 'gateway' of sorts. And it just so happens that your mutant powers give you a unique connection to the realm I need to access. You reek of the mystical residue from it. That's how I was able to locate you so quickly. And now like it or not, you will aid me in completing this last ritual. But consider yourself lucky. By the end you should be torn into oblivion. At least that way you'll avoid my wrath. I cannot say the same for that brother of yours."

"Errr…no!" spat Illyana.

"Yes!" seethed Selene as she slapped her hard across the face, effectively silencing her.

With Illyana helpless and unable to resist, Selene returned to the area in front of the four podiums with the blood stones. She started taking deep, intense breaths as if to gather her strength. Another cold wind swept through the temple, hinting at a brewing darkness emerging from every direction. Selene was concentrating all the mystical might she could muster, preparing for the ultimate spell.

"At long last, the reigns of darkness shall fall upon this retched world! I, Selene Galieo, proclaim this era of mortal ineptitude to be over! I say unto thee, dark forces from beyond, open the Gate of Orcus! Reveal to the living realm the very fires of Hell!"

Upon her proclamation she held the sword up high in the air. Every candle and surrounding chandelier flared violently at her gesture. Then in a brilliant display, the sword began glowing in a fiery red halo. It was as if it was burning from the flames of hell itself. From the sword, embers started sparking out and contacting all the elaborate symbols and markings that littered the floors and walls. When it touched every line and contour began glowing in a similar reddish halo. Soon much of the stage was glowing in a bright pulsing aura. It was beautiful in a dark sort of way. Selene seemed to relish in the power, drawing strength from it for this ultimate act.

"Heed my words, forces of beyond! Open thy gate!" she said in a booming tone.

The Black Queen began chanting the ritual phrases. As soon as she did, Illyana began feeling ill again. It was the same feeling she had back at the academy only this time it was much worse. She started groaning in pain, her body contorting in her bound state. It was agonizing and with every word Selene spoke it kept getting worse and worse.

"Ahhhhhhhhhh stop! Please! Make it stop! Make it stop! AHHHHHHHHHHH!"

But Selene kept chanting, gripping her sword harder as more flames shot forth from the sword. She chanted in languages they never heard in any ritual before. They sounded like a mass blend of tongues from every language ever spoken. They wouldn't be surprised if it was the first language ever. She kept chanting like this for a solid ten minutes, her every word more booming than the last. As she spoke Illyana's cries grew louder and her body became more and more consumed by the fiery aura. Soon the fires were so intense they were burning in a large column that shot up halfway to the ceiling of the temple. It was all building toward something big.

Her minions watched on in all, waiting with excitement for the next pivotal step. They could feel the tension building. They watched as the flames kept getting brighter. Selene's eyes were now glowing with the same intensity as the flames around Illyana. Then after a several key phrases, she lowered the sword and pointed it directly at the bound Russian girl. When she did, she let out her most agonizing scream yet. The column of fire started swirling and concentrating around her, completely consuming her to the point where she was no longer visible. The fires eventually coalesced around the doorway, forming a huge wall of fire. This was the Gate of Orcus. This was the gate to Hell itself.

"Yes! YES! The Gate of Orcus has opened!" proclaimed Selene.

"Wow…we're looking at the actual gate to Hell," mused Monet.

"I know…how cool is that?" mused Tabitha.

Selene continued gripping the sword, gazing into the burning gate along with her minions. Then through the fiery glow an imposing figure emerged. It was Blackheart, the demonic humanoid creature bearing black demonic skin and the most menacing of red eyes. And when he stepped forth from the gate, Selene walked out from the podium and faced the demonic creature head on.

"Blackheart," she greeted, "It's time to make good on the deal we made."

With a smile nothing short of pure evil, Blackheart spoke in his demonic tone.

"_**Not bad, Selene. You finally managed to put it all together."**_

"As if you expected me to do any less?" she grinned, "It's all here! Everything we need to do what is necessary! Grant me the last piece and I shall reign hell over this world! Darkness will dominate and the rules that hold us all back shall be shattered!"

"_**As well it should. You have done your part. Now we shall do ours."**_

Then in a macabre, revolting display Blackheart reached into his own chest and pulled out a brilliant red ruby relic. It bore the same appearance as the other four blood stones, only this one was bigger and had a distinctive glow to it.

"_**I have brought to you the final piece of the blood stone. Use it to unite the others. Then once you have made the appropriate sacrifice, ultimate darkness shall consume you. The power of the Hell Lords will be bestowed upon you and this realm will yield to fires of Hell."**_

Seething with intent, Selene accepted the final blood stone from the dark creature. Once it was in her hand she felt a new surge of power. Her face contorted with a mix of madness and intensity. Blackheart grinned at her response. He then slowly made his way back into the gate. He had done what he came to do. It was now time for Selene to finish the job.

"_**Now it is up to you to complete the ritual, Selene Galieo. Remember that the power that flows through the Gate of Orcus is only temporary. Complete the ritual or face the direst of consequences."**_

"Do not concern yourself with time, Blackheart. I always finish what I start," said Selene with a dark smile.

With the last blood stone in hand, Blackheart stepped back through the portal and into his realm. As soon as he did, the color of the gate changed from bright red to orange. It signaled to Selene that the clock had started. She had to complete this ritual before the energy stopped flowing through the gate. So without hesitation, she returned to the area behind the four podiums where the pieces of the blood stone resided.

"Yes…the end is finally here!" said Selene as she held the final piece of the blood stone over the others, "Wanda, get ready! As soon as the stones are whole again, the sacrifice must be made!"

"Yes Mistress," said Wanda, "I am ready."

Wanda stepped forth, holding the ritual dagger intently as she stood over one of the pedestals where one of the babies was sleeping peacefully. When Kurt saw this he tensed, but remained silent. Others took note too.

"Sacrifice? Is she referring to what I think she's referring to?" said Alex.

"If you're no fool, then yes," said Monet in a flat tone, "Are you having second thoughts?"

"No…of course not," he said quickly.

"Good, then just sit back and enjoy the show," said Warren, "It's almost over!"

Selene's minions continued to watch with morbid fascination. Only Kurt remained distant. Selene stood over the podium holding the stone Blackheart gave her firmly and drawing forth more power. The gate continued to pulse and a new field of energy surrounded the Black Queen. It was so intense many of the minions were forced to take a step back. There was no stopping Selene now. She was going to do this and nobody was going to stand in her way. Centuries of waiting and countless interwoven plans had all come down to this. It was really going to happen. Selene was going to set the world ablaze with Hellfire.

* * *

**Up next: The fight against Selene intensified as her ritual takes shape. The end is near for either side and only one can reign. The fate of all may rest in the hands of an unexpected ally.**

**AN: Same drill as always. Please remember to review this story. There aren't many chapters left so it's important I get some feedback now while there's still time to implement it. The end is near for both this story and this account. Enjoy it while you can.**


	18. Reign of Darkness

**New Blood  
Chapter 18: Reigns of Darkness**

* * *

**Temple of Orcus – Outside**

With Xavier, Danielle, Moria, and Emma off looking for Amara, the rest of the Hellfire Pawns stood poised to attack. Scott and Warpath carefully flew the jet in stealth mode over the temple, taking it into well above the main platform. Down below they could make out the vast numbers of guards and assassins patrolling the temple. They stood fully armed and barricaded in every possible area. Selene was clearly taking no chances, but that wasn't going to stop them from taking the fight to her.

Scott, Jean, Piotr, Rogue, Warpath, Pietro, Logan, Mystique, Bobby, Jubilee, Kitty, Sam, Julian, Rahne, Remy Ororo, and Deadpool all stood ready to strike. They jet hovered under an invisibility cloak about five hundred feet over the plateau. They were ready to make their strike, but before they did they noticed the storm clouds outside getting pretty intense. And it didn't look like a normal storm. This one had a very ominous feel to it.

"Gettin' a bit stormy out there," commented Remy, "Anybody else gettin' a bad vibe?"

"You're in good company, Remy," said Jean, whose eyes were glowing the fiery color of the Phoenix, "Whatever Selene is up to she's started it already and it's using a LOT of mystical energy."

"And that's a bad thing, right?" said Julian.

"Oh yes, very bad," said Jean, her eyes still burning brightly.

"Then let's show her some magic of our own," said Scott as he put the jet into autopilot, "Everybody gather around the hatch! Pietro, get the MGH ready!"

"Ah finally! Drugs and fighting! Is there anything more appropriate? Almost brings a tear to my eye," said Deadpool, pretending to whip his eyes.

"I'm sure," muttered Rahne, "Let's just hurry and buy some time for Xavier and me mom."

Everybody lined up near the hatch as Pietro opened the briefcase and handed out syringes. This was going to be a battle worthy of epic and they needed their full power if they were to have any hope of coming out victorious. So before they opened the hatch they each held their breath and injected the MGH into their bodies into their arms. And as soon as they injected it they felt the effects.

"Augh! Oh fuck it burns!" groaned Julian.

"Hnn…give it a moment! This is normal!" said Rahne, growling through the pain.

"You've got a pretty strange definition of 'normal' Rahne!" groaned Bobby.

The young pawns stammered for a moment as they let the chemical take effect. It felt like the insides of their bodies were on fire. It was like everything was being sped up inside. Their hearts pounded and their heads throbbed. But through this they felt a powerful rush, as if they were suddenly overcome with this new energy. The pain eventually passed and when it was over they all felt as though they could sprint around the world without breaking a sweat. It gave them a confidence and prowess they had never felt before.

"Wow! What a rush!" exclaimed Rogue.

"Yeah! And to think I used to listen to my old teachers when they said drugs were bad!" said Jubilee, the tips of her fingers sparking with new energy.

"Yes…I feel it too," said Ororo, still short of breath, "So what are our new powers?"

Everybody was seething with new power and energy. Scott and Warpath felt it too and exchanged glances. With determined grins they nodded and prepared for battle.

"Only one way to find out," said Scott as she literally crushed the syringe in his fest and kicked open the hatch, "Hellfire Pawns, this is it! Selene turned on all of us! She thought she could get the better of us! Well today, we show her once and for all the power of Hellfire! Get ready to attack!"

"Oh this is going to be satisfying," grunted Piotr as he took to his metal form.

Taking full lead, Scott leapt right out of the jet through the open hatch and descended quickly to the ground below where the oblivious guards were waiting for him. The others soon followed. Jean, Piotr, Rogue, Warpath, Pietro, Logan, Mystique, Bobby, Jubilee, Kitty, Sam, Julian, Rahne, Remy, Ororo, Deadpool all leapt out into the brisk mountain air with deathly sights set on all of Selene's minions. As soon as they were all in the air, Jean used her expanded telekinetic powers to create a powerful bubble around them that slowed their descent and guided them in. And it didn't take long for them to be spotted.

"Up there! Intruders! Shoot them!" exclaimed one of Selene's royal guard, "Don't let them get to…"

But that was as far as the man got. Before he could even fire the initial shot, he was silenced by the sickening sound of his neck snapping via telekinetic force. The pawns drew first blood. And it was the start of what would surely be a new blood bath.

"Oh yeah, I'm liking this!" grinned Julian.

Jean took them in and they all hit the plateau with devastating force. Her telekinetic bubble acted like a huge incoming plow that bore into the hard rock, driving back a sizable contingent of guards and assassins, killing a few in the process. It made a nice clearing for the pawns to land. And once they hit they ground they were ready to start running.

"So there any step two to this plan?" growled Logan, his claws already drawn and ready for blood.

"Yeah…fan out and kill as many of these pricks as you can," grunted Warpath.

"We get any prize for killing the most?" said Deadpool, already juggling with his guns, "Because I could use a trip to Hawaii!"

"Wilson, ye kill more guards than me and I'll sleep with ye for a whole month!"

"Ha! Babe, you got a deal!" laughed Deadpool.

With unparalleled grit, rage, and determination the Hellfire Pawns spread out and began ruthlessly taking out their enemies as they had been trained to do. Selene's guards and assassins were no pushovers. But despite all the forces Selene had gathered for this one moment, they were ill-prepared for a group of pawns with enhanced powers.

Scott and Jean broke off from the group and attacked right up the middle of the barricades leading up to the temple. Scott quickly discovered that MGH had not only tripled the effectiveness and lethality of his optic blasts, but it allowed him to surround his body in a field of energy that gave him an extra boost of protection and strength. When a couple of guards tried to shoot him, their bullets harmlessly bounced right off the energy and he was able to literally blow them out of their skin with two well-placed blasts that tore gaping holes right in their chests.

Jean showed an equal level of lethality with her new powers. The MGH expanded her telekinetic powers to a point where she could not only create shields and warp minds, but she could actually shape her telekinesis in way that made it more lethal. Instead of just bursts or force waves, she formed psionic swords, knives, and even creatures that with some telepathic manipulation looked very real to her adversaries. She was able to form a dragon-like formation with her telekinesis that she then used to take six Hand assassins, lift them into the air, and literally tear them apart limb from limb without breaking a sweat.

"Nice shot, Jean!" grinned Scott as he blew the heads off more guards, "That a new spell or something?"

"Oh no, that's all me!" said Jean as she hovered in mid-air, deflecting bullets and maiming more guards, "I'm saving all my mystical talents for Selene! Just help me get through these guards and I'll give her a taste of all my new Phoenix spells!"

"Gladly, love!"

While Scott and Jean tore their way up through the middle of the barricades, Piotr and Kitty weren't far from them doing the same. They were taking on a large contingency of Hand assassins. Even though Kitty was trained in advanced hand-to-hand combat, she had difficulty in the past going up against trained assassins. But this time was different. The MGH allowed her to not only phase through their attacks and weapons, it allowed her to change the density of her fists and limbs so that when she hit the guards it felt like they were hit with a couple of slabs of granite. It was a very satisfying experience, feeling their bones break with ease at her hand. It filled her with strength and confidence. It was the kind she always imagined Piotr felt.

And he showed his strength as well. She watched as the assassins tried in vain to shoot him and pierce his metal skin with swords and daggers. But they didn't even scratch him. The MGH didn't just add to his already impressive strength. It allowed his entire body to literally grow in size so he was nearly three times as big as he normally was. At that size all he had to do was lower his shoulders and plow through waves of assassins like an unstoppable force. And any assassin lucky enough to avoid his assault was promptly grabbed and broken like a twig with Piotr's imposing grip.

"Way to stand tall, Peter!" grinned Kitty as she literally punched through the chest of an assassin.

"These men are like bugs!" roared the Russian mutant, "It's like crushing insects!"

"Well save some for me! I'm liking this whole super strong, invulnerability thing!"

Kitty and Piotr were on a tear. But they weren't the only ones using raw strength to overcome their enemies. Warpath and Pietro were on an equally devastating path of destruction. Warpath on MGH was even more destructive than usual. His focused rage and imposing strength was amplified and so was his durability. But what really showed was his speed. His already agile reflexes were expanded to a point where he could run and move in a manner similar to Pietro. It was like the whole world slowed down for him and he could just easily run from guard to guard, disarming and snapping their necks with such efficiency they barely had time to pull off a single countermove. He was ruthlessly efficient and showed no mercy.

Not to be outdone in terms of speed, Pietro pushed his powers from supersonic to hypersonic. He was able to run so fast and built up so much energy that he literally blew through royal guards and their armor with just his fists as a ram. He was also able to grab some by the head and move it back and forth with such speed that it literally liquefied his brain, causing blood and puss to spew out of their eyes and ears. It was grotesque, but deserving of those who aided Selene. But even with these powers Pietro showed some propensity to get unfocused. While he was focusing on specific guards with his new techniques, a few managed to sneak up on him and stab him with a few blades. He was able to heal quickly from them, but it was a nuisance.

"Augh! Okay, you asked for it, pal!" grunted Pietro as he chased down another guards.

"Try and keep your focus, Pietro!" said Warpath as he slammed a couple of heads together, "Here, take my vibrainium knife!"

The Apache warrior then took his favorite knife out of his boot and tossed it to the speedster, who quickly caught it.

"Thanks! Not that I need it, but it will make things go a lot faster!" he grinned.

Pietro resumed on his rampage, using his knife to systematically cut through an entire legion of royal guards. Another legion nearby was facing a similar gruesome fate at the hands of Logan, Mystique, and Rogue. Even under the influence of MGH, Logan's knack for cutthroat skill and brutality dominated. Only now he was faster and stronger, able to literally lift up the imposing and muscular elite guards with one hand and impale them with his claws. And even when a couple of guards managed to get a few shots and stabs on him, his accelerated healing factor was so fast the wounds healed almost instantaneously. And he just kept going with a feral roar.

But his feral roars weren't the primal for once. Right next to him, Mystique was enjoying her new MGH abilities. Her shape shifting powers had been expanded beyond just mimicking people. Now she could mimic animals and large beasts. She had been able to do it before, but only in limited sizes and forms. Now she could imitate a whole Tyrannosaurus Rex and attack large collections of elite guards, literally biting them in half and swiping at them with her tail. When they tried to shoot her, it only made minor wounds that quickly healed. It wasn't as fast as Logan's healing, but it kept her going.

And those that were unlucky enough to survive Mystique and Logan's attack were finished off by Rogue. Armed with her usual strength and flight powers, she wasted no time in grabbing nearby elite guards and literally choking them to death with her bear hands. But she quickly learned she had another ability. Before she even touched them, she found out she could drain them with her absorption powers. She only needed to be within five feet of them and she could drain them whole. It was much more convenience considering the elite guards were mostly covered from head to toe and it gave her an extra boost. The only problem was Logan and Mystique weren't keeping them alive long enough for her to drain them.

"Dang it, you two! At least leave them alive for a few minutes so Ah can drain them!" she complained as she managed to suck the life out of one guard who had his arm cut off from Logan.

"Hrrrahhhhhhh!" roared Logan as he decapitated another guard, "You don't like it, find your own targets!"

Rogue groaned as more guards fell. She then turned towards her mother, who shifted into the form of a large gorilla and literally crushed a nearby guard under her fist.

"Dang it, mama, how do you put up with that?"

"What can I say? I have a strong appreciation for the wild side," the shape shifter grinned in her gorilla form.

Rogue rolled her eyes and flew off to another area of guards trying to take cover on a platform with sniper rifles. Now was not the time for her to get into conversations about her mothers love life. She would rather take her frustrations out on these guards and Selene.

She quickly learned she wasn't the only one taking out the guards trying to be sneaky. Sam was leading Bobby and Jubilee on an assault on every fortified position around the temple. On the plateau there were large cliffs and rock formations that allowed guards and assassins to take cover with sniper rifles and long distance weapons. Since he could fly and Bobby and Jubilee had firepower, he took it upon himself to lead the charge against them. MGH helped him a great deal. It allowed him to become invulnerable without even going into his blast form. And when he did go into his blast form he could go faster and bore through even heavy rock fortifications. Any guard unlucky enough to get in the way was either knocked off the cliff or maimed beyond recognition.

While Sam picked part the fortifications, Bobby and Jubilee drew their fire with their powers. Bobby under MGH was a walking arctic storm. In his iced up form he had huge plates of ice armor that made him look at least twice his size and provided a thick shield that deflected bullets and poisoned arrows from the Hand assassins. It also allowed him to fire much large bursts of ice and cold that froze unlucky assassins in their place, some painfully to a point where icicles literally shot through their bodies and killed them on impact. Those that didn't die were shattered by Jubilee.

Under MGH, Jubilee's firepower was increased tenfold. Instead of just fireworks, she could also form large flashes of light that had loud miniature explosions to go with it. When she fired them at the guards, those they either burned them to death or blinded their sense of hearing and vision to a point where they didn't have a chance. Sam and Bobby cleaned up those that managed to survive. A few rounds did sneak through and a couple did graze her, but that's why she stayed close to Bobby and kept on fighting.

"Wow! Way to put on a show, Jubes!" said Bobby as he froze more assassins trying to stay perched behind rocks, "You okay?"

"I'll be fine!" she said, ignoring some of the light wounds she now had, "Just keep freezing and I'll keep shooting!"

"And keep them shots high, Jubilee!" Sam called out as he flow over them, "They can't fire if they can't see their target!"

"I know what I'm doing fearless leader! I don't need reminders!"

"Keep takin' shots like that and you may think otherwise! Just listen to me and we'll turn all these guys into Kentucky road kill!" said Sam, gritting his teeth as he flew in for another attack.

Along the way he passed Rogue, who couldn't help but grin at the way he was being assertive. Sam, who had been so reserved at first about taking on Hellfire duties, was now a champion of them. And he had the sense to leave some of his victims alive long enough for her to drain. That just meant more life energy for her. She reminded herself to thank him 'personally' after this was over.

Back down on the ground, a number of lingering foot-soldiers from the Hand and royal guard were using the transports Selene used as cover. That's where Julian, Rahne, and Deadpool focused their attack. Under MGH Rahne's wolf form grew into a huge bigfoot-like creature that was almost as big as Hank had been and every bit as strong. In her feral state she was able to tip over a transport, crushing a few guards in the process. And those that weren't killed were maimed by her claws. Much of Hank's encouragement about embracing her animal side came into play here. She was like a hunter rampaging through a stampede of prey, selectively picking out her victims and taking them down with little effort.

While Rahne was doing much of the hand-to-hand combat, Julian watched her back by keeping bullets and other attacks from hitting her and slowing her down. Under MGH his telekinesis was much more powerful, allowing him to put up stronger shields and fly a lot faster. He also noticed he had a touch of telepathy now. He could use his mind to disrupt and disorient the guards before knocking them back with a telekinetic wave. It was very satisfying. As a telekinetic he always wondered what telepathy was like. Jean and Lord Xavier always put it to good use. Now he understood just how useful it was.

But while Rahne and Julian remained coordinated and focused, Deadpool was just going off like a madman. He laughed the whole time as he ruthlessly maimed and butchered every guard he managed to get close to. His katanas were soon drenched with blood and the MGH expanded his reflexes and endurance to a point where he was barely exerting himself. He even let a few guards get some free shots in with guns or swords. But there was little pain and the wounds healed with the same efficiency as Logan's. And once healed he just didn't let up.

"Bang! Bang! And bang again!" he said as he systematically stabbed several guards with knives still sticking out of his body, "Wow, I can't believe you pricks still think stabbing or shooting me is going to do anything! It just tickles a little! You make me feel like a kid again! Here, why don't I tickle back! Ha-ha-ha!"

Deadpool went onto ruthlessly slash his katana's in a quick spin move that sliced the throats of three guards, killing them quickly. He then ripped out the swords stuck in his body and used them to kill more guards.

"Oh man, you are enjoying this WAY too much, Deadpool!" commented Julian as he deflected a new wave of bullets.

"Yeah, well maybe you're not enjoying it enough, kid! You need to let go a little! Get a message! Then kill the masseuse! It's a REAL happy ending!"

"Grrrrrrr! Well when you're done you mind doing something about those other transports!" growled Rahne as she threw off another guard that tried to grab her neck, "These things are getting in my way!"

"Sure thing my furry female! But remember our little deal!" said Deadpool, "This is gonna cost you an extra night!"

Making good on his part, Deadpool whipped out a couple of his guns and fired at a couple of transports. The first few rounds just dented the front, but a couple of well placed shots struck the engines and caused the transports to explode violently.

"Yeeee-hawwwww! That's what we call a Texas style demolition derby! Eat your heart out John Wayne!"

Rahne growled again, but Julian couldn't help but laugh.

"At least he's in good spirits," he commented.

While most of the transports were now in ruin, a number of remaining royal guard tried to barricade themselves at the entrance of the temple. They all had their orders to keep all interference out and they would carry those orders out to the death because they all knew death here was a lot better than what Mistress Selene would do to them. But Ororo and Remy still made it unpleasant for them.

With MGH Ororo's weather powers were on an entirely new level. It was never too hard for her to conjure up big storms on a grand scale. But with her new powers she could really concentrate those big storms into small areas, creating a small F5 tornado or a category 5 hurricane in an area so concentrated that nobody around her would feel it. It literally blew the guards off their feet and put them in a whirlwind so intense it tore their bodies apart. She could also more accurately shoot huge bolts of lighting that arced over from target to target, filling them with lethal voltage. Moreover she could control how it arced so it didn't even get close to Remy who was using the more direct approach.

Using Ororo's storms as support, Remy skillfully fought his way through the royal guard with a mix of hand-to-hand combat and short range firepower. With his enhanced powers he didn't even need to charge playing cards anymore. He could just form balls of energy in his hand and send them flying at his targets. When they hit they maimed his victims in a way his cards never did. One guard literally had half his body blown off by a particularly heavy charge. It was more firepower than he ever wielded and he loved it.

"Dang, Remy is linkin' this!" he said as he threw several energy bursts towards the ground, literally blowing the legs out from under a cluster of guards, "Keep those winds comin', mon amour! Remy will clean up the rest!"

"I assure you, Remy, these storms will not stop!" said Ororo as she used another wind sheer to blow back more guards, "Just keep clearing the way! Leave Selene with no one to hide behind!"

Just then a lightning bolt nearly hit him, just arcing over his head and shocking a guard.

"Yeow! You forgot to tell me to keep my head down too!" he said.

"Sorry, but I assumed that was a given," grinned Ororo as she listened to the pained cries of the guards, "Don't expect me to let up."

"Wouldn't want you to, cherè," grinned Remy.

The lopsided fight continued and legions Selene's army of guards and assassins fell in short order. They didn't stand a chance against the pawns with their enhanced powers. Every guard Selene assembled was only delaying their progress, not stopping them. Yet they kept throwing themselves into battle, knowing full well that this is what their queen wanted and expected of them. It was almost admirable, but not enough to grant them any mercy.

But as they fought the guards the skies above became more ominous. The clouds darkened and a strange new heat started building around the temple. Nobody really noticed it during the intensity of the battle, but Jean Grey definitely picked up on it. Her mystical senses as well as the Phoenix gave her a quick understanding of what was going on. She couldn't sense exactly what was going on inside, but she knew enough to know it was big and it had to be stopped.

"Something's wrong," said Jean as she looked up at the clouds, "Whatever Selene is up to she's starting it and it's almost complete!"

"Then let's finish with these guards and stop her!" said Scott as he blew away one more cluster of guards.

"That's just it, Scott. It might already be too late," she lamented.

"Don't think like that! We have to keep going! We need to buy time for Lord Xavier! Whatever Selene is up to she won't finish it!"

Jean sensed more ominous rumblings in the skies above. It wasn't like a normal storm. It was like these clouds were from the pits of Hell itself. And with Selene, that wasn't out of the realm of possibility. But Scott was right. They had to keep fighting. They were almost out of guards. Once clear they could then make their way into the temple where Selene awaited them. There it was sure to be a much more difficult fight. And Jean couldn't help but feel that even with their power it wouldn't be enough.

"For all our sake I hope Lord Xavier hurries. I have a very bad feeling about where this is leading."

* * *

**Nova Roma – Mountain**

While the battle at the temple raged, Xavier led Moria, Emma, and Danielle down the vast mountain in search of the body of Amara Aquilla. Using his telekinesis as a guide, courtesy of MGH, the Black King led them over the terrain at careful yet swift speeds. He understood just as the rest of his pawns that he had to work fast. Since Amara was in a deep coma he wouldn't be able to pick up on her psychic signature easily. Luckily he did know the general area and he had Emma Frost to help.

"I believe this is the area my spies reported," said Xavier as he hovered over a certain outcropping of rocks with Moria, Danielle, and Emma hovering next to him.

"Just how competent are these spies of yours?" questioned Emma, "Because I don't sense anything."

"Me neither, but I assure you this is the place," he said, "Just keep scanning for any trace of a mind. She's definitely here. That I'm sure of."

"Maybe I should just start shattering rock with me blast," said Moria, "That might open up a few pockets."

"As much as I'd appreciate that, Emma and I will be need it to be as quiet as possible if we're to pick up on Amara's mind."

"Plus, you don't want Selene hearing you now do you?" said Danielle with a slight smirk, "That shriek of hers may tip her off."

"Something tells me she'll already be expecting us by then, lass," said Moria.

With that in mind, Xavier flew them in closer so he and Emma could get a closer reading. It was a classic needle-in-a-haystack type search. This was a big mountain and the mind of a teenage Nova Roman princess wasn't going to stick out easily, especially when she was in such a deep coma. The stormy skies above weren't helping either. They added extra incentive to search harder because the longer they waited, the worse they got. And there was little doubt that Selene was behind them.

Slowly and carefully, Xavier flew them over the jagged areas. This part of the mountain was pretty steep. According to the geological readouts from the spies there was a magma fissure branching off right to this area. It was recent in geological terms so it would be an ideal place for a body to end up. It was just a matter of getting an exact location.

"Just out of curiosity, what kind of state do you think Amara will be in?" asked Danielle, "If what she went through is as bad as you say it was, will she even be in the right mind to help us?"

"Given how deep this coma is she probably is completely unaware of just how much time has passed," said Moria, speaking softly so that Xavier and Emma could concentrate, "As far as she's concerned it just happened. And since it's fresh in her mind she'll be filled with rage and most likely ready to strike back."

"But what if she isn't?" asked Danielle.

"Well that's why we have ye here lass," said Moria, "If she is unstable, we need some deception to keep her cooperative."

Danielle figured as such. But it was hard to imagine a girl her age going through such horrors. She watched her parents get slaughtered, was gang raped, and then thrown into a volcano. Anybody would probably be pretty messed up after that. But if the others could get past it and take on Selene hopefully she could as well.

They continued hovering over the rocky terrain for another five minutes or so. Then Xavier stopped abruptly and he and Emma clutched their temples.

"Charles, I just got a signature," said Emma, concentrating harder.

"Yes, I sense it to," said Xavier, "It's faint, but it's definitely there. I'll fly us in closer."

Using his telekinesis carefully, he flew them up to a specific area on the mountain. It looked innocuous enough, but upon closer inspection they noticed a slight bulge in the rock formation. It looked as though something had been pressing on them. That was a promising sign. But to be sure, Emma placed her hand on the rock and searched deeper.

"She's definitely there," said the blonde telepath, "And pretty out of it too. I've never felt such a deep coma."

"Selene doesn't like to take chances," said Xavier as he then turned to Moria, "Let's get her out of there. Moria, you know what to do."

"Aye, stand back and cover your ears," she warned, "This is going to be big one."

Xavier, Emma, and Danielle did as instructed. Xavier kept her in a steady hover, floating back slightly so she had room to work. Once clear she took a deep breath and unleashed a sonic yell worthy of a banshee. The high pitched screech could be heard even with their ears covered completely. It had a sharp pressure to it, the kind that even hard rocks couldn't withstand. Moria made sure it was highly concentrated, focused specifically on the bulging rock. At first it didn't do anything. But after a tens seconds of steady blasting it started to crack.

Soon the cracks expanded and went deeper. All the while Moria kept up her sonic assault, yelling louder and louder to a point where Xavier struggled to keep her steady. Eventually they noticed the cracks start to get red hot. It was a sign that magma was starting to seep through the cracks. It was just what they wanted. If there was a body in there it should carry it with them. They all felt the heat emanating from within the mountain. It was getting pretty tough, Moria kept up her assault. Then they heard a deafening burst.

"Hold on!" urged Xavier.

As soon as the rocks burst, Xavier pulled Moria back a safe distance with the others. They all had to shield their eyes briefly as bright flash of fiery magma shot out from the new hole. The opening was about the size of a small car and gushing with lava. They watched for a moment as it began trickling down the mountainside. But as it did they noticed a figure emerge from the flow.

"I see her!" said Emma.

"So do I," said Xavier, "Now take your diamond form and I'll fly you in. That way you can take the heat."

Emma did as she was told, not responding with her usual quip. She turned to her diamond form and placed her trust in Xavier not to get her scorched. But as much as she was sure he still resented her for her betrayal, he did his part and carefully maneuvered her into the flowing river of lava. She could feel the intense heat, but her diamond form kept her from getting burned.

Once close enough she could make out the figure of Amara Aquilla. She was curled up in a fetal position as she lay unconscious against a rock, the lava flowing harmlessly around her as if it were just water. She was naked as expected and was in pretty bad shape, but considering she had been stuck in a volcano for nearly a decade she didn't look too bad. Carefully minding the lava, Emma lifted Amara up from the flowing liquid rock and held her securely in her arms. A few drips of lava managed to scorch her uniform, but so long as it didn't damage her perfect skin she was okay with that.

"I've got her, Charles. Let's get someplace a little less volatile," said Emma, still feeling the heat through her shell.

"Hold on, I'm taking us down to a clearing I saw earlier," said Xavier.

With Amara now in hand, the Black King flew them down to a nice area that was lower on the mountain that was flatter and not as jagged. As soon as they landed, Emma quickly laid the young princess down on her back. To cover her modesty, Moria brought a blanket from the jet to wrap her in. Seeing as how in her mind she just got finished being gang raped by Selene's minions, she would want to cover up.

"She looks to be in pretty bad shape," commented Danielle.

"Considering what she's been through, she's in better shape than she could have been," said Xavier.

"So then how do we wake her up?" asked Emma.

"She's already starting to wake up," said Xavier, "I sensed as soon as she was freed from the volcano her mind and body became active again. It's going to be a bit of a jolt, but she should come to soon."

"Want me to give her a little 'nudge?'" the blond telepath offered.

"No, not this time," said Xavier strongly, "Just let her wake up. The last thing she needs is another shock to her system."

Charles, Emma, Moria, and Danielle waited intently as they hovered over the exposed body of the Nova Roman princess. For a moment she just lay as still as a statue. They could hear her breathing and Xavier and Emma could sense her mind restarting again. They soon saw her stirring as well. More thunder rumbled in the clouds above, indicating that time was running out. Selene was stepping up her efforts. If this girl was to help them she had to wake up soon. Suddenly and abruptly, her eyes shot open and she let out a blood-curtailing scream.

"SELENE!"

Xavier and the others were forced to fall back a bit. Amara then shot up, clinging to the blanket around her body as she started panting desperately and groaning in a daze of agony.

"Where is she?! What…what's going on? What happened? Who are you?!" said the Nova Roman princess in a weak voice.

"Easy, lass. Take deep breaths. You're okay," said Moria in a calm tone.

"Okay?! How can I be okay?! After…after what just happened! Selene, she…"

But before she could go any further, Xavier stepped in. He used his telepathy to send calming thoughts into her mind. It helped stop her before she got too worked up. But she was still noticeably distressed.

"Selene is why we're here, Princess Amara," he said in a calm tone as he approached the young woman, "Please, allow me to explain. My name is Charles Xavier, Black King of the Hellfire Club."

"The Hellfire Club?" said Amara, "I…I've heard of you! You're the same people Selene came in with!"

The distressed princess's eyes flared and a hot ball of fire formed in her hand. But Xavier remained unafraid.

"Take it easy, my dear. There's no need for that. Selene is not with us anymore. She betrayed us just as she betrayed your people. Now I don't mean to overwhelm you, but you've been out a long time. To you Selene just got done tormenting you and your family. But in reality many years have passed. And a lot has happened since then."

Amara was still panting heavily, gazing upon Xavier, Moria, Danielle, and Emma with mistrust. She didn't want to believe them. She was still wishing this was all just a nightmare that she hadn't woken up from yet. But something about this man seemed truthful. She maintained her poise. She was still the princess of Nova Roma. She couldn't afford to be weak even in such dire situation.

"Time is short, so I'll skip to our purpose for getting you out," said Xavier, "We need your help, Princess Amara. Selene has turned on us. She was once an ally of mind who ruled with me in the Hellfire Club, but she had an agenda of her own. And for some reason, that agenda has led her to the top of this mountain in your kingdom. She's holding up in some sort of temple that…"

But Amara then cut him off.

"The Temple of Orcus?!" she exclaimed urgently.

"Yes, I believe so. Why? Do you know of it?"

Before she answered, Amara grit her teeth and shot up from her sitting position. She was still shaky from her coma and Moria and Danielle tried to help her, but she shook them off. As exhausted and distressed as she was she understood the gravity of this situation. If Selene had returned to the Temple of Orcus then she and her kingdom were in a world of trouble.

"We…we have to stop her!" she said, "Tell me she hasn't finished! Tell me the ritual isn't complete yet!"

"Ritual? What ritual?" said Moria.

"The ritual she built the temple for in the first place!" she exclaimed, "Long ago when she first established Nova Roma, her first edict as queen was to force the people to build her a temple at the top of the mountain! That temple was to be the site of a ritual that she claimed would plunge this kingdom and the entire world into darkness! She boasted that using that temple she would bring the fires of Hades itself to our world!"

"In other words she's looking to create Hell on Earth?" surmised Emma.

"Yes…and she would rule over it with the same power and authority as the king of the underworld himself!"

Xavier and Moria exchanged grim looks. If what this girl was saying was true then it was worse than they thought. This wasn't some power grab or coo against the Hellfire Club. This was Selene actually plunging the world into the depths of Hell and proclaiming herself the new queen of darkness. It was beyond anything even they ever imagined. They knew Selene was power hungry, but this was extreme even for her.

"Please…tell me she didn't build the temple," said Amara, still struggling to stay upright.

"She finished the temple," said Emma bluntly, "We saw it ourselves."

"Damn it! How long did she keep me out!" the princess cursed, "My family worked for generations to keep it from being touched and you're telling me it's been completed?!"

"Yes," said Xavier sternly, "Now are you going to help us stop her or not?"

Amara Aquilla's expression grimaced as she turned away and keeled over against a nearby rock. Tears started forming in her eyes as everything started coming back to her. For generations her family and their allies worked tirelessly to protect Nova Roma, keeping it a beacon of Roman glory. One of the hardest parts of their reign was to negate the scars left by Selene, the woman who helped found their kingdom and nearly destroy I at the same time. She came from a long and powerful royal bloodline. They say her whole family had been blessed with the blood of the gods to grant them the abilities to protect their kingdom. She knew she had an ability, but it was an ability that failed to protect her beloved kingdom.

Looking up into the sky, she saw the dark storm clouds gathering. She knew without a doubt what was behind them. She remembered vividly Selene's final taunting message to her. After she murdered her family, had her raped and humiliated in front of her own people, and dragged her up to the top of the mountain she grabbed her by the face and looked her in the eye with that cold gaze of hers. And with that gaze she remembered her fateful words.

"_You failed, princess. You and your pathetic family failed! Nova Roma is mine again! I'll see to it that your precious kingdom is ground zero for when I plunge this pathetic world to the depths of Hades itself!"_

Those words and her cold gaze were the last thing she remembered before she was thrown into the volcano. She had to live with that gaze and those words for years. And now here she was, a fallen princess who suffered at the hands of a true monster.

"Amara, please…" said Moria, "None of us here will claim to understand what ye be going through. But trust us when we say we know of Selene's deceit. And if ye just help us we can stop her once and for all!"

"How can you stop an immortal woman like her?" she said distantly.

"Let's just say the forces of the Hellfire Club are greater than she comprehends," said Xavier strongly, "We already outsmarted her once. That's why we're standing before you. Give us a chance and we can outsmart her again. And we'll see to it that she pays for what she did to us and your family."

Amara's expression hardened. The mention of her family stirred a fire in her hotter than any volcano. She still remembered vividly the look on her father's face as Selene killed him with her own hands. She still remembered vividly the look on her mothers face as Selene cut her throat and let the blood spill right onto her face. Her hatred of Selene was unmatched. She had been a bane to her people for too long. She didn't know this man or these people who helped free her. But if there was any chance at all that they could make Selene pay for this, she had to take it.

Still clinging to the blanket wrapped around her naked body, Amara turned around and confronted the Black King.

"Charles Xavier…I will help you," she said, "But please answer me just one question before I do."

"Of course, princess," said Xavier respectfully, trying to remain diplomatic.

"If you are part of this Hellfire Club, does that mean you helped Selene re-conquer my kingdom?"

Xavier was silent for a moment. He could have easily lied or manipulated his way out of this like he always did, but if he was to get the full support of this girl both now and after this matter was over he would have to be honest.

"To some extent…yes," he answered.

As soon as she heard that, Amara suddenly lunged forth and punched the Black King right across the face. Xavier sensed it coming, but he let it happen. He felt back, clutching his face in pain while Emma and Moria stormed up to the Nova Roman princess in a rage.

"You royal bitch! You will sorely regret that!" yelled Emma, turning to her diamond form with the intention of hitting this woman back.

But Xavier, still clutching his jaw, stopped her.

"Emma stop!" he commanded, "Leave her alone. I had that coming."

"But Charles…" Moria complained.

"Come now, Moria. With her powers she could have done a lot worse. But she didn't. Let's just give that to her as a token of trust and get on with this."

Moria, Emma, and Danielle still cast Amara a cold glare. Even if she was a princess, nobody struck a member of the Inner Circle without facing some sort of retribution. But if this was how Xavier wanted to handle it who were they to argue?

Amara ignored their glares. She could care less how they thought at this point. If anybody was foolish enough to help Selene they deserved far worse than just a punch in the face. But if this man could help rid her of the plague that had haunted her kingdom for generations she was willing to overlook such transgressions.

"You are a fool to have ever helped that woman, Charles," said Amara.

"I know," Xavier admitted, "Help me rectify that. And we can both make her suffer for what she's done."

She saw in his eyes the same burning desire to destroy Selene. He trusted her just as her ancestors did. And the price they paid was too high. Now it was time end this once and for all. Selene had inflicted to much suffering and deceit. It was time she finally paid the price. Amara owed it to her family and her kingdom.

"What do you need me to do?" asked the Nova Roman princess.

Xavier grinned intently. He had on his side the princess of Nova Roma and her volcano powers. Now he had everything and everyone he needed to take Selene down.

"Just hold on and follow me," he said as he telekinetically lifted her and the others back into the air, "Time is short so I'll explain on the way. But first, I need to tell me everything you know about this ritual she's conducting. It may prove critical for what I have in mind."

* * *

**Temple of Orcus – Central Ritual Area**

Just as the fight was beginning outside, Selene was preparing the final round of spells before proceeding with the next part of the ritual. Darkness and power surged through the area. She could feel it building outside and expanding in all directions. All this mystical energy being concentrated in a small place and with such dark intent was causing major disruptions. But it was just the beginning. It was soon to become something so much more.

Wanda stood close by just behind the podiums holding the babies while she watched her Mistress chant, holding the last piece of the bloodstone over the other four pieces. They were all glowing brightly. They burned with intensity worthy of hellish fury. With each line of spells Selene grew more intent and focused. Wanda, Alex, Tabitha, Kurt, Warren, Betsy, Monet, Magneto, Roberto, Sabretooth, Laura, and Lorna all watched on in a daze, waiting with anticipation for their Mistress to succeed in her ultimate goal.

"Now I call upon the fires of hell itself! By thy immortal hands, I shall unite the blood stones for the first time since the fires of creation! Heed my words as I…"

But before she finished her proclamation, she a series of loud explosions and noises cut her off. The caught the attention of her minions too. And as a result of her distraction, the Gate of Orcus faltered a bit and Illyana Rasputin, still acting as a medium for the gate, could be seen briefly struggling in agony. But Selene kept the spell going, holding the blood stone piece firmer.

"What the hell was that?" said Alex.

"I'm hoping it's thunder," said Tabitha.

"No…it isn't," said Selene, seething with anger, "That pesky, bald headed fool! He's here!"

"Who? Xavier?" said Warren, "How could he be? You said…"

"I know what I said!" bellowed the Black Queen, "I don't know how the hell he tracked me here, but he must have sent his pawns out to stop me!"

"So what should we do, Mistress? Do you want us to kill them for you?" asked Roberto.

"Yes, that would help! But do be careful! I just need them to be held back long enough for me to complete the ritual! Once I have ultimate power it won't matter what they do! Just stop them!"

"That's gonna cost extra, you know?" warned Sabretooth.

But before Selene could yell at him he got a harsh blast Betsy.

"It'll cost you even more if you don't do as you're told!" spat Betsy, "Now shut up or we'll use you as a human shield!"

Sabretooth growled menacingly at the purple haired woman, but there was no time for another exchange.

"ENOUGH!" yelled Selene, "Get out there already and stop them!"

"Yes ma'am! We will not fail you!" said Monet strongly, "This ritual will go perfectly. I promise you!"

"Be sure that it does or I'll have all your souls for this!" exclaimed the Black Queen.

Her minions quickly stormed out of the central ritual area and towards the front entrance to the temple. She also made sure the mind controlled Lorna, Magneto, and Laura followed orders as well. She didn't need expect them to do much. She just needed as much time as possible. The only one who lingered was Wanda, who remained standing by one of the twelve babies with a dagger in hand looking uncertain of what to do.

"What about me, Mistress?" she asked, "Should I go out and fight too?"

"No! I need you here to conduct the sacrifice!" said Selene, "But if you ever paid attention to my lessons for more then two seconds, use all the magic you can muster to create a barrier around this chamber! I cannot allow anyone to disrupt things at this point."

"I…I'll do my best, Mistress," said Wanda warily.

As soon as Kurt and the other minions were out of sight, Wanda closed her eyes and focused her hex powers on a powerful spell she had never used before but had studied just in case. It was a powerful barrier spell, one that required the highest skills in magic to pull off. But if ever there was a time she needed to push her skills, this was it.

While Selene resumed her chanting with the blood stone, Wanda did some incantations of her own. She let out a sharp grunt as she focused as much of her power around her as she could. Once the incantation was complete, a large purplish ball of light formed overhead. From that ball of light, a glowing dome of energy expanded around them. It quickly encompassed the entire ritual area. From there it spread out, phasing through the structures and supports of the temple. But anything outside that tried to get in would be hit with a wall of magic.

Once the spell was complete, Wanda keeled over in a fit of exhaustion. But she stayed up ready to do her duties for her mistress. Selene felt a small bit of relief upon seeing her apprentice cast such a large barrier spell to protect them. But while as powerful as it was, such a spell was only temporary. It would not hold forever and it might not even hold for the amount of time she needed. That's why she had to work fast. She had come too far to be denied now.

"Damn you, Xavier! You and your minions will NOT stop the ritual!" she proclaimed.

The Black Queen then held the glowing blood stones over the other pieces and prepared to resume. This next part was critical. If she could just get through it then she would be poised to succeed. She just hoped her minions could last as long as she needed them too. It didn't matter of any of them perished in the process. All that mattered was this point was completing the ritual.

* * *

**Temple of Orcus – Outside**

The last few guards had fallen at the hands of the Hellfire Pawns. Scott, Jean, Piotr, Rogue, Warpath, Pietro, Logan, Mystique, Bobby, Jubilee, Kitty, Sam, Julian, Rahne, Remy, Ororo, and Deadpool were now poised to strike at Selene herself within her temple. There was still no sign of Xavier or Amara. But with the effects of MGH still coursing through their system they were hungry for a shot at Selene.

"Well we made a hell of a mess, but oh well!" said Deadpool as he causally decapitated one last guard, "Whose up for Chinese food? I'm buying!"

"Save your appetite for Selene, Deadpool," said Warpath with seething anger, "She's next!"

"What about Lord Xavier?" said Kitty, "Shouldn't we wait for him to show up with Princess Amara?"

"He never said anything about taking our shot if we got the chance," said Logan, "And this is our chance!"

"I'm with you, Logan!" said Pietro, "Let's get in there and give that bitch what's coming to her!"

Nobody argued with their intent. They all wanted a shot at Selene for what they put them though. But before they could gather around the entrance, Jean sensed something with her Phoenix powers that caused her to stop.

"No wait!" she exclaimed, her eyes flashing a fiery red.

"Oh what is it now?' groaned Julian.

"I'm sensing something going on inside. I think Selene knows we're here."

"How do you figure?" asked Piotr.

Before Jean could answer they were all momentarily blinded by a sharp pulse of purplish light. It shot out from the top of the temple and expanded as a dome across the entire structure, creating a thick mystical barrier around the complex. It looked pretty imposing and it definitively confirmed Jean's words.

"Okay, I'd say that's a pretty strong sign," said Remy.

"That's not all," said Scott as something else caught his eye, "She sent more company."

From behind the barrier, a number of imposing figures emerged. They were Selene's minions and they all looked ready to fight. Alex, Tabitha, Warren, Betsy, Monet, Magneto, Roberto, Sabretooth, Laura, and Lorna all stood side-by-side, focused strongly on their intruders. Yet despite the vast collection of dead bodies from guards and assassins that littered the area, they did not look intimidated.

"Wow, you guys made a REAL mess out here," said Warren in a threatening tone.

"Thanks for the compliment, bub. Care to join them?" growled Logan, his claws still drawn and ready for combat.

"You all made a big mistake coming here!" said Monet menacingly, "You think you can stop Mistress Selene? You think you can stop the supreme immortal sorceress and soon to be lord of the mortal realm?"

"Oh we're not just going to stop her! We're going to make sure that she and everyone who ever helped her suffers!" said Mystique.

Selene's minions just laughed at such a claim.

"Sorry to break this to you pathetic fools. But you're already too late!" said Monet.

She then turned to her comrades of darkness. They had the barrier behind them keeping them out and their mistress was hard at work on the ritual. It wouldn't be long now. They just had to buy time.

"You have your orders," she told them, "Attack your enemies! And don't let up until our mistress is triumphant!"

"You heard her!" said Scott, taking command as well, "Don't let up! Take them down!"

"Here we go again," groaned Julian, not looking forward to facing Laura.

The Hellfire Pawns charged and clashed with Selene's minions. Alex went straight for Scott. Sabretooth went straight for Logan and Mystique, having plenty of unfinished business to take are of. Lorna went for Pietro, as dictated by Monet who was using her telepathy to pull some of the strings. She also sent Laura after Julian, who she figured would hesitate to fight against her. Roberto went after Bobby while Tabitha went after Sam. Warren took to the skies and went after Ororo, who was still being helped by Remy. Tabitha went after Kitty and Rahne. Magneto, still under complete mind control, went after Piotr, Jubilee, and Sam. Rogue and Deadpool took on Betsy. And Monet went straight for Warpath, ready to take on the strongest and most powerful target she could find.

A lot of anger and rage fueled both sides. The memory of what Selene's minions did to the young pawns still hung strongly. The pain and humiliation of being raped and tortured at the hands of Selene gave them plenty of motivation to show no mercy. But Selene's minions had no qualms about throwing themselves into such a battle. They dominated and humiliated them before so they knew they had the psychological edge. Time was also on their side. They knew that if they just held them back long enough, Selene would win. It didn't matter if they lost their lives in the process. The darkness within them made them care little for such risks. All that mattered was helping their mistress succeed.

As the fighting erupted, Jean slipped by and flew up to the energy barrier. She immediately tried plowing through with sheer telekinetic force. When that didn't work, she summoned her Phoenix powers and began attacking the magic that was fueling this barrier. But she quickly found out it wasn't going to let her through that easily.

"Damn it! It's a aetherial shield!" said Jean, "I need time to get through it!"

"Well work fast, Jean!" said Scott as he slugged Alex across the face, "We need to get through!"

But Alex wasn't even phased by Scott's blow. He just wiped the blood from his face and laughed.

"Save your breath, dear brother. Your girlfriend won't be getting through anytime soon. Mistress Selene has already taken care of everything. All we have to do is entertain ourselves with you until it's over."

"Go to Hell, Alex!" yelled Scott, seething with anger over his now wayward brother.

"Now isn't that an ironic choice of words," he taunted, "Because soon Hell will be coming to you!"

Alex charged up his energy blasts to the highest levels he could muster and unleashed a concentrated burst right at his brother. Scott, still working off his MGH enhanced powers, covered his face with his arms and was able to absorb and deflect most of the energy. Being brothers, their powers had little effect on one another. Alex knew this, but he didn't care. His strategy wasn't to take him out. It was just to slow him down. So Scott had to end this quickly.

After deflecting the blast, Scott nimbly rolled to the side and lunged at Alex. He was ready for him though, clenching his fists and fighting back with all his might. Scott initially tried to sock him in the stomach, but Alex was able to avoid and counter with a right cross at his face. When Alex first struck him, Scott was surprised by his strength. The darkness Selene filled him with must have given him an extra boost of strength. Either that or he just didn't feel any pain. Despite some blood trickling down his nose, Scott quickly countered and countered Alex's next blow. He was able to grab his arms and pull him into a grapple. There he had a chance to see the pure rage and anger burning in his eyes.

"Why Alex? Why did you do this? Why did you give into Selene's influence?" exclaimed Scott.

"I didn't give in! She just gave me a way out from under your thumb!" grunted Alex, struggling to break free.

"We're brothers! I brought you into the Hellfire Club because I wanted to help you!"

"Help me?! Ha! All you ever did was try and mold me into your own image! You always expected me to be just like you! Well guess what? I'm NOT like you! And Mistress Selene showed me I can be something better!"

"So you just threw away the blood oath you took and gave into darkness?!"

"If it meant getting the better of you…it was worth it," grunted Alex.

Scott's expression hardened. He knew from those words that he truly had failed his brother. They drifted so far away that he was willing to sacrifice everything just to make him suffer. He was now too far into the darkness to be brought back. There were so many things he wished could have been different. But Alex had made it clear that they were at the point of no return. That left him with only one choice.

"I'm sorry you feel that way, Alex," said Scott in a flat tone, "But if this is how you want to do things, so be it."

Then while locked in their grapple, Scott focused his enhanced optic blasts into a single concentrated burst aimed right at Alex's head. The blinding red flash hit him right in the face and even though his powers didn't affect him very well, the extra kick from MGH was enough to knock him back and blind him.

"Ahhhhh!" he howled as he covered his eyes.

While he was momentarily stunned, Scott moved in and delivered one last punishing blow. He grabbed Alex by the neck, forced him down onto this knees, and with one hard right hook he slugged his brother as hard as he could. And with his added strength, he struck him with such force that he not only knocked him out cold, a good number of facial bones were broken. It was something Scott wished he didn't have to resort to, but it was too late. His brother had walked the path of darkness. This was the price he had to pay.

"Sorry Alex," he said to his brother's unconscious body, "But this has to end. And you will suffer the consequences like all the others."

There was no sadness in Scott's tone, only disappointment. He always hoped that he and Alex would become a team within the Inner Circle. Now it looked as though that wasn't going to happen.

But before he had any time to lament about what could have been, he heard a deafening cry from above him.

"Noooo! My love!" exclaimed Lorna.

Before Scott could get out of the way, Lorna flew down and charged at him hard with her fists leading the attack. She struck him squarely in the chest, knocking him hard to the rocky ground and taking some of the wind out of him in the process. While momentarily stunned, Scott looked up to see the anguish in Lorna's eyes as she swooped in for another attack.

"You hurt my true love!" she cried, "I will make you suffer for this!"

Scott groaned as he tried to pick himself up. But Lorna was coming in fast. Then just as she was about to strike again, Pietro ran by in a quick blur and pulled him out of the way. This didn't stop Lorna though. She just flew up again and prepared for another attack. She wasn't going to let someone hurt the man she loved and let them get away with it.

"Ugh! You couldn't just take her down quickly?" groaned Scott.

"I want to at least try not to hurt her!" said Pietro, "She's under some sort of spell! We have to break her from it!"

"We don't have time for that, Pietro! Xavier said we need to be willing to take them down!"

"I am willing. But I have to try!"

Pietro stood near Scott, holding onto him and ready to run him out of the way as soon as Lorna came in for another attack. It looked like she wasn't going to let up. She flew down again with rage in her eyes. This time she had shards of metal from the transport with her. She had a maddened look of bloodlust in her eyes, but Pietro refused to give up on her.

"Lorna, listen to me! You don't know what you're doing!" the speedster exclaimed, "You're being controlled by some sort of spell! You have to fight it!"

"I…I don't want to fight it!" she said, seething with anger, "I want to save my love!"

"Your 'love' is just a spell! It's me! Pietro! I'm your family! Don't you remember?"

Lorna's expression tensed somewhat and she showed signs of hesitation. The metal shards surrounding her shook a bit, hinting she didn't have as firm a control over them as she implied.

"Pietro…" she said distantly.

"Yes! That's it, Lorna! You're fighting it!"

But then Lorna shook her head and resumed her charge.

"No! I have no family! Only my love, Alex!" she exclaimed.

She sent a hail of metal shards towards him and Scott. Pietro was able to swiftly move them out of the way. But she didn't miss a beat. She just used her powers to summon the same shards and send them flying in a new attack.

"She's not listening, Pietro!" said Scott.

"She was for a minute!" said Pietro strongly, "I just need to calm her down. See if you can knock her back! But not to much!"

"I'll try," grumbled Scott.

Scott wasn't keen on trying to get through Selene's dark control. Lord Xavier told them they had to be willing to take them down. But he empathized with Pietro. Lorna hadn't just given into Selene's darkness like Alex had. It had been forced on her. And she just proved she was capable of fighting it. That to Scott meant she deserved at least one more chance.

With Lorna flying down towards them again with metal shards at her side, Scott took aim with his optic blasts. Armed with the power of MGH, he created a special wide arc that would dissipate some of the force and keep from hurting her too much. As expected, Lorna used the metal as a shield but she wasn't prepared for the intensity of the blast. When it hit it caused her to lose her focus and tumble towards the ground. That's when Pietro took his chance. Using his super speed, he ran up to her, grabbed her from behind and pinned her against a nearby boulder. She still struggled, but he wasn't letting her go

"Listen to me, Lorna! You're being controlled! I know you love Alex, but Selene is using that love! She's using it to serve her own ends! Is that what you really want? To help the woman who hurts everybody? Think about your family! Think about your mother! Think about me!"

She continued to struggle for a moment, but then the expression on her face changed.

"My…my mother," she said distantly, "But I…my love is all I know."

"Fight it, Lorna! I don't want to hurt you, but I will if it will knock some sense into you!" said Pietro sternly.

Lorna kept struggling, groaning in pain as she tried to overcome this. She could have easily summoned more metal shards to attack Pietro. But she held back. She was too conflicted and confused, unable to focus herself as she had been doing so effectively just moments ago. Brief images of her mother and all the support Pietro had given her flashed through her mind. But those of Alex continued to dominate. She couldn't forget them. It left her even more confused.

"No!" she groaned, "I won't stop! I can't!"

Pietro's expression fell. It appeared Selene's influence was too strong. He was going to have to take her out, but he was going to hate himself afterwards. He was about to do it, but before he could end this Jean stepped in and flew down from above.

"Hold on, Pietro! I think I can help," said Jean, "Just hold her still."

"Why? What are you doing?" demanded Pietro, "What about the barrier?"

"That can wait," said Jean, "But I think the spell on Lorna is losing its grip. I think I may be able to break it up with a revelation spell."

"Good, then what are you waiting for?!" he exclaimed.

"Shut up! It's not as easy as it sounds!" grunted Jean.

With Lorna still struggling, Jean placed her hands on Lorna's temples and looked her in the eye with her fiery gaze. The glowing fires of the Phoenix surrounded her body. She chanted a couple of phrases then touched her temples with her hands, hoping the revelation spell was stronger than Selene's love spell. As soon as she touched her, Lorna's eyes flashed briefly and she let out a pained groan. Pietro kept a firm hold on her, but she stopped struggling and soon went limp in his arms.

"Lorna! What happened? Did it work?" he said anxiously.

"Hnn…Pietro," she groaned, "What's going on? I…I'm so confused."

As difficult as it was to hear her in such pain, her words came as a great relief to Pietro. A relieved smile came over him as he looked down to see that the darkness in her eyes wasn't there anymore. There was just exhaustion, confusion, and quite a bit of distress. But she was definitely the Lorna he remembered now.

"I think it worked," said Jean.

"I think so too," said Scott, "Guess you were right about her."

"I'll rub it in your face later," grinned Pietro, "Thanks Jean. I owe you big."

"You can repay me later. But let's just say I sympathize with the power of magic and love."

That earned her a smile from Scott, who knew what she was referring to. Love and magic sort of went hand in hand with them. It's part of what brought them together. And Jean weren't about to let someone like Selene thrust her darkness into it. But more than just saving Lorna, they proved they could get through Selene's control. That offered hope to more than just Lorna.

While Pietro was still holding Lorna, he looked over towards the now destroyed transports to see his father, Magneto, having too easy a time fighting Piotr, Sam, and Jubilee. In his metal form, Piotr was vulnerable and being used as an oversized projectile to attack Sam and Jubilee. They tried to fight back, but Magneto was just too strong. Upon seeing this, Pietro grit his teeth in determination. He saved one family member, now he had another to work on. But unlike Lorna, he had little affection for his father. Fighting him wasn't going to be nearly as difficult.

"Jean, you think that spell will work on Magneto?" he asked.

Looking over at the fight, Jean didn't seem too optimistic.

"I don't know. It depends on whether or not he's even fighting it."

"I'll see for myself," said Pietro strongly as he gave Lorna over to Scott, "Get Lorna to safety. I've got some long overdue family business to take care of."

"Do what you have to do, Pietro," said Scott.

The speedster nodded and sped off towards the battle with father while Scott and Jean got Lorna to the safety of the jet. But when Pietro arrived at the scene with his father and his fellow pawns, he noticed a somewhat lopsided fight. Magneto, despite his mind-controlled state, saw Piotr and went straight for him. He used his metal form against him, controlling it with magnetism and using him as his own indestructible projectile that he guided at high speeds towards Sam and Jubilee, who were trying to distract him.

He watched as Sam tried another attack from the sky, flying up in his blast form and trying to hit Magneto head on. But he was ready for him. He flung Piotr up right at him and disrupted his path just enough so that he missed. And when he tried to fly around for another shot, Magneto directed Piotr over top of him and hammered him down against Sam with so much force that when he hit the ground it made a small crater. Jubilee, who had been trying to shoot him with fireworks, cringed at the sight and ran over to Sam's aid.

"Sam! Sam, are you okay?" she called out.

"Ugh…Ah'm fine," he groaned, "Just a monster headache. Magneto's really throwing his weight around."

"More like throwing Peter's weight around," said Jubilee as she looked up at Piotr, who was still stuck in Magneto's grip, "You know, nobody would blame you if you de-metaled!"

"I am trying!" exclaimed the Russian, "But the magnetic fields are keeping me in this form somehow!"

"Great, why couldn't the MGH do anything about that?" groaned Jubilee.

"Sometimes you have to improvise," said Pietro as he came running up to help Sam back to his feet.

Jubilee helped Pietro, getting Sam back to his feet and ready to fight again. But this time Pietro took charge. This was his fight and like Lorna, he was going to see this one through.

"Ah think Ah can get him this time," said Sam strongly.

"No, let me take him down. He's my father," said Pietro grimly.

"That's sweet and all, Pietro, but how are you going to get close? Did MGH give you flight powers or something?" said Jubilee.

"No, but I can still get to him! I just need you to blind him for a few seconds. That's all I need. And Sam, I need you to draw his fire."

"Why? What are you gonna do?" asked Sam curiously.

"You'll see," said Pietro, "Just trust me, okay? I know how to deal with this man."

Pietro was never much for strategy, but for a personal fight like this Sam was willing to give him the benefit of the doubt. He knew very well how powerful family could affect someone. And with Pietro, he had plenty more incentive to get the job done.

"Okay, we'll do what we can," said Sam, "But whatever you do, make it count."

"I will," said the speedster.

Sam, Jubilee, and Pietro then put their plan into action. Sam took on his blast form again and shot up towards Magneto. Only this time he didn't go for the direct hit. He just swirled around him and got his attention.

"Come on, old man! Show me what you got!" he taunted.

Magneto, still lost in the daze of Selene's spell, continued using his powers to direct Piotr right at him like a big metal projectile. But this time he didn't land a hit. Sam was able to avoid him, flying around in circles and getting the master of magnetism a little disoriented. Piotr, who was stuck having to watch, didn't know what was going on and didn't like it.

"What are you doing, Sam? Why aren't you attacking?" he demanded.

"Hold on, big fella! We got a plan!" Sam assured him.

He then looked down at Jubilee, who stood ready to do her part.

"Now Jubilee!" he yelled.

"You got it! Shield your eyes!" she exclaimed.

Piotr and Sam did as she said. Then using her MGH enhanced powers, Jubilee formed a huge burst of flashing fireworks that exploded right in front of Magneto's face. They weren't meant to hit or scar him. They were just meant to blind him. And the hot white bursts did just that, exploding in a fury of miniature white explosions. It was so bright the master of magnetism actually dropped Piotr from his magnetic grasp and clutched his eyes. Even though he was under Selene's control, he was not immune to disorientation.

As soon as he dropped Piotr, that's when Pietro made his move. Running at nearly full speed, he literally ran right up a nearby cliff and then with his powerful legs he launched himself up into the air right at his disoriented father. Because of his dazed sight, he didn't' see him coming and wasn't able to respond. By the time he did, Pietro was already there. And he made his presence known.

"Magneto!" he yelled in a rage.

With gravity as his guide, Pietro tumbled upon his stunned father and they both fell to the rocky ground below. They hit not far from the crater made by Sam earlier. And since his father was no healer, he was definitely hurt by the impact. Pietro felt some of his bones break and he seemed to have the wind knocked out of him as well. In this stunned state he couldn't use his magnetic powers so Pietro grabbed him by the neck and ran him up to a wall where he held him in a choke hold. But as much as he wanted to end his father's life there for all the pain he put him through over the years, he didn't go through with it just yet.

"Remember me, father? It's me! Your son! The son you abandoned only to use again! I know you can hear me through that twisted mind of yours!"

Pietro's harsh words seemed to fall on deaf ears. Magneto's expression didn't change. But he saw in his father's eyes that he did recognize him. He was getting through to him. But Selene's hold on him remained strong.

"Now you're the one being used! Can you feel it? That hold I know Selene has on you? That's what I felt! That's what Wanda felt! And now look where that's led us! If you have event he slightest touch of fatherly instinct left in you, you'll fight this and help us stop Selene! It'll be at least one decent act for you and your family!"

Magneto was still silent, lost in his daze. But through it Pietro could see the conflict. He was remembering just as Lorna had remembered. Only this revelation didn't come with any solace or retribution. It came with more anger and more hate. For so long Pietro wanted a chance to yell at his father like this. It felt good to finally have this chance. But he never contemplated his father's response. How would a man so darkened and lost respond to such harsh words?

After looking his father in the eye with such anger for a moment, he got his response. He saw Magneto raise his hand slightly. Then using his powers, he levitated a large chunk of metal from the ruins of Selene's transports. And with a grit of determination, he sent it flying towards him at high speeds.

"Pietro, look out!" exclaimed Jubilee.

But Pietro already knew it was coming. And with his speed, he was plenty fast enough to avoid it. In the span of a few microseconds, he got out of the way of the incoming shard. But while he was able to move, his father wasn't. The shard kept going and that's when it happened. Time slowed down for Pietro as he watched it plunge into the gut of his father. His expression contorted with a new wave of pain. Since the speed of the shard was so great, he was unable to stop it in time. And it pierced cleanly through his body. He had been so determined to fight back he didn't think hard enough about what he was doing.

"Augh!" he choked.

"Father…" said Pietro in shock, quickly catching him as he keeled over.

The shard was still sticking out of his body with blood quickly gushing out from the wound. It was definitely lethal and left Pietro stunned. He didn't think is father would be so foolish, but then again he had a talent for disappointing him. There was so much more he wanted to vent on him. But instead he would have to watch his father die right here.

"You fool," he said, "But…why?"

Then to his amazement, he looked into his father's eyes and saw the darkness from Selene's influence was no longer there. For a moment he looked like the father he remembered. And if he wasn't mistaken, there was a touch of longing in his eyes.

"Pietro…" he said, choking on his own blood, "Please…stop your sister."

Those were the only words he got out. As soon as he uttered them, he let out a choking gasp and went limp. Pietro could only watch as the life left his frail body. It left him dazed and confused. And as much as he wanted to see him perish for what he had done to him over the years, a part of him was affected by this. For all his foolishness and failures, he was still his father. And he was able to fight through long enough to deliver unto him his final words. There weren't words of regret or remorse. That was not Magneto. But they were powerful in that they revealed how even he had no desire to see Selene's darkness reign supreme.

While Pietro stood there in silence, looking at the now dead body of his father, Sam and Jubilee approached him from behind. Piotr was there as well, still dizzy from how Magneto used him as his own personal weapon. And while they knew Pietro wasn't the most sentimental person in the world, this was still a difficult moment for the speedster.

"Ah'm sorry, Pietro," said Sam.

"Don't be," sighed the speedster, "He chose his path. At least he was strong enough to fight it at the end. And if he made one last gesture as a father, the least I can do is make one as a son and honor his final request."

"And what's that?" asked Piotr, still rubbing his head.

"What else…stop my sister," he said strongly, "And that means stopping Selene!"

While Pietro, Jubilee, Sam, and Piotr gathered themselves, there was another personal affair boiling over not far from them. Only this one didn't involve family. It involved a quarrel between lovers and enemies. As soon as they stepped out from the temple, Sabretooth went straight for Logan. And as he expected, Mystique was right beside him.

The fight quickly devolved into a bloody brawl with the two former living weapons tearing at each other mercilessly. Sabretooth initially took a huge chunk out of Logan's right arm, forcing him to fight with only his left arm for a while. Sabretooth used his imposing strength pin Logan down and just tear at him relentlessly, ripping off as much flesh as he could. But this initial attack was short lived. Logan quickly countered by literally kicking him off and shooting back up to his feet. His healing quickly took over, accelerated by the MGH. And his rage was now burning as he eyed his long-time enemy.

Logan sprung with an attack of his own, slashing relentlessly at Sabretooth with his claws. His cat like-reflexes allowed him to dodge them initially, but Logan got off several major blows. He nearly sliced off Sabretooth's right hand and got in a good stab right into his upper chest. But Creed kept going, countering with a slash of his own. Logan absorbed it and plunged his claws right into his rival's thigh. This stunned him briefly and negated his reflexes. Using this as his window, he leapt up and plunged both sets of claws down into his shoulders. Creed let out a feral roar, but kept thrashing wildly, trying to shake Logan off. But he wasn't going to go easily this time.

"This ends now, Creed!" roared Logan.

"Couldn't agree more, old buddy!" growled Sabretooth, "I don't care how much you heal, I'm going to rip you limb from limb!"

"Forgetting something?" said Logan with a wolfish grin.

Before Sabretooth could react, Mystique came in and delivered a blow of her own. Taking on the form of a huge, muscular gorilla she slugged Sabretooth in the chest with Logan's claws still dug into his flesh. It sent him flying back. In the process Logan ripped his claws out, taking a good chunk of Creed's insides with him, and did a mid-air flip before landing next to his lover. Mystique shifted back to her normal form, smiling at the sight of her former lover now lying bloodied on the rocky ground. This man used her on more than one occasion and it was so satisfying to see him like this.

"You have no idea how good that felt," grinned Mystique.

"You stupid bitch!" growled Sabretooth as she stammered up, "Thought you had enough the first time around!"

"Oh you think I was just going to let you rape me and then torment the man I love? You're even dumber than I thought!" spat Mystique.

"Ha! You love, this rodent!" scoffed Sabretooth, "You gotta be fucking kidding me! You two?! Ha! Guess that just gives me twice the torture to inflict!"

Shaking off his pain, Sabretooth lunged at the two of them. They both got out of the way and Logan plunged his claws into Sabretooth's side this time. But he just let out a feral roar and slugged him hard right across the face, scratching him good in the process. This knocked Logan back briefly. Then Creed reached over and grabbed Mystique, who tried to attack with a jump kick. He caught her in mid air and took her by the neck, holding her in a ruthless choke hold. He may have had something with this woman at one point, but now that she was with his greatest enemy she was officially worthy of his full wrath.

"You know I was going to spare you, Raven. We did have some nice hot times you know," said Sabretooth with a wolfish grin, "But if you're going to be sleeping with Logan, you're going to have to take his place as soon as I kill him! And trust me, I won't be as gentle as last time!"

Mystique choked a bit, grunting in an effort to break free. This man sickened him. He caused her too much pain and anguish over the years. He was a mistake she hated living with. And she refused to live with it any longer.

"Neither will I," she grunted.

Suddenly, she shifted her shape. She couldn't shift into anything too big, so she went the other way. She shifted into a slithery snake that literally slipped through his hands. And as soon as she hit the ground, she returned to her human form and with all her might she delivered a powerful kick to his groin. The feral mutant's expression immediately tensed with agony and he stumbled back wards towards the edge of the plateau.

"Auuuuggghhhhhh! You fucking bitch!" howled Sabretooth.

But before he could collect himself, Logan came in and finished the job.

"Sabretooth!" he roared as he came in charging.

With all his might, Logan plunged his claws back into Sabretooth's gut. But even after he was impaled, he kept pushing him further and further to the edge. And before the feral mutant could fight his way off, he had gone too far. He stumbled over the cliff and fell helplessly down the hard, jagged edges of the mountain while howling out the name of his enemy.

"LOGAN!"

With his claws still dripping with Sabretooth's blood, Logan watched as Creed disappeared into the rocks below. He was wounded and pained, but the fall probably wouldn't kill him. It would just put him in a world of pain. And that was okay with him. He didn't deserve such mercy. He deserved to suffer more and he would see to it personally after all this was over.

Mystique walked up next to him and watched Creed fall as well, taking the same sense of satisfaction as Logan in seeing him fall. And for helping to finish the job she wished she could have done long ago, it earned him an affectionate hug and kiss.

"That's for helping me torment him," she said, "That bastard deserves far worse."

"And he'll get it," said Logan, hugging her back, "Anybody who messes with my girl is gonna suffer. I'll make sure of it."

It was a strange way of chivalry, but Mystique didn't mind it. That was just Logan's way of returning her affection. And she wouldn't have it any other way. But now that Sabretooth was taken care of, they could go onto helping out with the others. And Logan had one fight in particular he knew he would have to help with.

Since the fight broke out, Laura had been attacking Julian with all the rage and fury she had been trained to fight with. Her eyes were red with rage, focused solely on killing her target just as she had done under Zander Rice with Weapon X-23. Only this time her rage was being directed by Selene's whims. Her focus was on whoever she was targeted to kill and Monet directed her to Julian for a reason. She knew he wouldn't be able to fight back as easily and it was definitely a struggle.

Julian immediately went on the defensive. He used his telekinesis to form a thick barrier around him that Laura couldn't get through. But she wouldn't be denied. She just kept charging harder and faster, roaring in a rage and relentlessly thrashing her claws. She was pretty strong too, forcing Julian to keep his barrier up. As he deflected her attacks, he kept trying to use his new telepathy to get through to her. But having never been trained in probing minds, he wasn't able to do much to stop her.

"Laura! Ungh! Laura, it's me! Come on, it's Julian!" he grunted as he was driven back, "I know you're still in there! You're too tough and stubborn for Selene to control you!"

"Hrrrahhhhhhhh!" roared Laura as she kept on attacking.

"Ugh! So much for flattery," groaned Julian.

He was now backed up against a rock, holding up his telekinetic shields as strong as he could. But Laura just kept coming. She wasn't even slowing down. That endurance and ruthlessness that he had witnessed in the field (and in the bedroom sometimes) was pushed even further by this rage she was in. He knew he was going to have to fight her, but he didn't know how he was going to get through to her.

"Damn it, Laura! Don't make me fight you! I never win when I fight you!" groaned Julian as her claws inched closer with each slash.

But before Laura could get him with his claws, Logan stepped in and tackled Laura away from her target.

"If you can't, mind if I try, kid?"

Logan immediately went to work, holding her down and using his claws to cut her arms and legs. This did little to slow Laura down. She managed to kick him off, using the claws in her feet to stab him in the process. Then she shot up and lunged towards him in a similar rage, slashing and striking him with all her might. And having just endured a fight with Sabretooth, he was already battered. But he took her every blow and countered by striking her as well, making sure he hit major arteries to cause more bleeding. And even with Laura's healing, it was effecting her.

"Damn it, Logan! What the hell are you doing?" exclaimed Julian, "You're going to kill her if you keep bleeding her like that!"

"Will you shut up already?!" growled Logan as he cut her again, this time on the neck, "I know what I'm doing! Selene used some chemical to control her!"

"How do you know that?" said Julian skeptically.

"I've read her file! You've just read her bra size!" growled Logan, "I smelled it on her the second she came out with Selene. She reeks of it! I'm trying to drain it from her system!"

Julian still didn't like it, but if Logan cared for Laura as much as he thought he did he had no reason to doubt him for it. He did know her a little better since she was his clone. But it still left him worried.

He watched as Logan kept attacking and cutting Laura, bleeding her and opening old wounds that had healed over. She bled so much large puddles of her blood formed around her. Eventually, it started to affect her. Her attacks slowed and her expression became more dazed. She was losing energy and strength, allowing Logan to gain the upper hand. He soon had her pinned up against the same rock she pinned Julian against earlier. There he cut her some more, this time around the neck. So much blood was pouring out Julian nearly threw up. But he kept his strength and watched anxiously as Logan tried to get through to her.

"Come on, Laura! Get this stuff out of your system! You can beat it! Just get a hold of yourself! You don't want this ending like it did with your mother!" said Logan.

But as soon as he mentioned her mother, she let out another roar of anger. She was still unable to get over it. The chemical was either still in her system or it had permanent effects on her. Logan cut her some more, but he was beginning get a bad feeling.

"The chemical should be drained from her system! Why isn't this working?!" growled Logan.

"Maybe it's affected her mind too much," said Julian, "Maybe I can get in and fix it."

"Fix it?! Kid, you can barely fix breakfast!"

"At least let me try!" exclaimed Julian, "I may not know dick about telepathy, but I know a thing or two about saving people I care about! Now hold her still so I can work!"

Logan didn't like this. He was never all that fond of Julian. His affections for Laura had always concerned him because he always thought of him as just some punk with an attitude. But he clearly cared about her. That much was clear. And he remembered how far he went for Mystique and Jean. If anything could motivate this kid to not screw up, it was his feelings for Laura.

Logan did his part while Julian carefully moved in and placed his hands on her head. At first she thrashed a bit, trying to break free and attack. But Logan held her firmly in place. Julian then took a deep breath and prepared to begin the probe.

"Please don't let me screw this up," he groaned.

"Then don't. Or I'll just let her go so she can kill you," growled Logan.

That wasn't very encouraging, but Julian didn't have time to fight with him. He focused his mind and with every bit of skill and focus he learned in his time at the Hellfire Club, he entered Laura's mind. It was a strange sensation. Her thoughts were a mess, most likely an effect of the drug. He could still feel her memories, thoughts, and emotions. But they were disconnected and turned off, as if the drug had severed those parts of her brain.

'_Okay Laura, if Selene made you forget who you are I guess I'll just have to remind you. And if I screw something up, I'll make it up to you all you want later. I promise.'_

Intensifying his focus Julian began turning on and reconnecting all those parts of Laura's mind that had been severed. It wasn't easy. It was like trying to rearrange a web of wires blindfolded. But as soon as he started making connections, it got easier and easier. It wasn't long before the connections started making themselves. All the old memories and feelings that made up the girl he had grown so close to were coming back. Laura was literally willing herself back to sanity.

"She's doing it! She's doing it!" said Julian.

Then when the last connection was made, Laura let out a pained groan and went limp. Logan quickly caught her. At first he wasn't sure if Julian helped her or her hurt. He was about to yell at him for it at the top of his lungs, but then he heard Laura's pained voice through the daze.

"Hnn…Logan? Julian?" she said.

"Laura!" exclaimed Logan, "That's it, kid! Come back to us!"

"Ungh…don't…call me…kid."

"Oh yeah, she's definitely back," grinned Julian.

When Laura heard his voice, she managed a slight smile. It wasn't much since she was so weak she could barely stay awake. But it was enough for Julian. He smiled warmly, helping to comfort her in an otherwise confusing position. He knew she could get through this. She was every bit as tough as he thought she was. Even Selene could never taint that.

Logan let out a sigh of relief and gave Julian a look of approval. For an arrogant punk, he really pulled through. His feelings for Laura must have been stronger than he thought for him to go through this for her. That still didn't mean he wasn't going to give him a hard time, but this definitely earned him a little trust on his part. But that was an issue to deal with after they got through with Selene.

And Logan wasn't the only one lending help to family. Upon finishing with Sabretooth, Mystique went to assist Rogue in handling Betsy. At first it seemed like an easy fight for Rogue. She was stronger and more powerful. But she quickly found out that Betsy was determined not to fail this time and employed her telepathy at full strength to keep Rogue at bay. The fight began with Rogue trying to get in close enough to drain her. But Betsy kept her distance by giving her a full-powered migraine that kept her from activating her powers. And when she tried to use brute strength, Betsy responded with ninja agility and a barrage of psionic blades. While Rogue was able to take the blows, it only made her telepathic onslaught worse.

"Had enough yet, luv?" said Betsy as she flung several blades at Rogue as she was kept back a good ten feet from her.

"Ungh! Get outta mah mind!" groaned Rogue as she tried to lunge forth.

"Sorry luv, brains over brawn," taunted Betsy, "I may have spent a good deal of my life being used, but I will NOT spend it with failure! And I don't care how strong you are! I will not fail again!"

Rogue tried to take to the air and launch an air assault. But before she got too far her head started throbbing again and she tumbled to the ground in agony. Betsy didn't let up, charging in for another attack. She was armed with two oversized blades, ready to plunge them into her invulnerable form. Rogue could do nothing but brace herself. But even in her durable state, she wasn't sure how much more of this she could take.

But just as Betsy was about to strike Rogue, Mystique stepped in and delivered a punishing flying kick right into the hip of purple haired ninja.

"Ugh!" groaned Betsy.

"You think I'm just going to let you beat up on my daughter?" said Mystique in a threatening tone.

"You're not making this any easier on her," warned Betsy, "Strike me again and I'll warp her mind beyond repair!"

"Do that and you'll suffer a fate much worse than failure!"

Mystique lunged at Betsy and attacked. Betsy's ninja agility allowed her to dodge and avoid her strikes. Still armed with her blades, she was able to strike back at the shape shifter. But they hit nothing but air at first. They were both too nimble. Mystique tried a sweep kick followed by a grab maneuver, but Betsy wouldn't let her execute anything. She had even more determination than usual, much more than the rest of Selene's minions. She was really serious about not failing this task. But Mystique had no intention of failing herself.

She let Betsy go on the offensive again. She took a few cuts from her blades in the process, but she gradually allowed her to move her back towards a rock formation. Once there she bided her time, waiting for the right moment. Then when Betsy swung her blade with extra force and got it stick in a rock she made her move. She shifted into a huge fifty foot anaconda and attacked, slithering around her entire body and tensing her ever muscle to choke her into submission. It was an unexpected tactic that Betsy hadn't prepared for. It left her disoriented and unbalanced. She was also running short on air.

"Ack! You think…this can stop me?" she grunted.

"I'm not trying to," hissed Mystique, "I'm just making you vulnerable for this!"

Betsy then felt a presence behind her and before she could react, she felt two powerful hands on her face. She quickly realized those hands belonged to Rogue and she was draining the life out of her. Betsy immediately tried to form a psionic blade to cut her way free, but Mystique's hold on her was too firm and so was Rogue's.

It wasn't long before she was so drained she could barely stay conscious. When Mystique felt this she let her go, shifting back to her normal form. Rogue didn't drain her completely. She just held on until she was too weak to fight. The way she figured, if she stayed weakened they could punish her more later. But Betsy's desire not to fail was even stronger than she expected.

"Nooooo!" she gasped as she lay limply on the ground.

"Sorry sugah. You're done," said Rogue, "Y'all got a lot to answer for."

"I…I can't fail!" she said, "Not again! I'd rather die than fail again!"

"Are you going to beg meh to kill you? Because Ah ain't one for mercy," said Rogue sternly.

Betsy then looked up at the two women. They were right. They wouldn't show her mercy. But she was still determined not to fail. And she didn't care if that meant betraying the darkness instilled in her by Selene.

"If…if you won't grant me mercy. How about a deal?" said Betsy.

"A deal? What kind of deal could you offer at a time like this?" said Rogue.

"My…my powers," she said, "You're very strong, Rogue. But you're vulnerable to telepaths. Take my powers completely and you'll have my telepathy permanently. You're weakness will become a strength. All I ask in return is that you let me die as I should have long ago."

It was a strange deal to say the least. This girl really didn't want to deal with more failure. She was willing to offer her powers as payment for it. It was a tempting offer, one that would make Rogue even stronger. She thought about it for a moment. It wouldn't be an act of mercy, but it would be sparing Betsy of more punishment. She turned to her mother.

"What do you think, mama?" she asked.

Mystique looked down at Betsy with a mix of pity and scorn.

"It's a reasonable deal," said Mystique, "And if there's one thing Xavier taught me it's that reasonable deals should never be scoffed at. I say take it."

Rogue nodded in agreement. It made sense. They would both be getting something they wanted. And it would give her another tool she could fight her enemies with. She remembered how much a difference her strength and flight powers made. Having telepathy would make her even more formidable.

"Alright then," said Rogue, "Ah'll take your deal, Betsy. Ah may not like ya for what ya did, but Ah'm a reasonable gal."

"Thank you," said Betsy, "Just…get it over with quickly."

Rogue bent over and placed her hand on Betsy's face to finish the job. And just as she did with Miss Marvel before, she held on long and hard until every last bit of life energy was taken. But unlike Miss Marvel, as soon as she felt Betsy's presence in her mind she didn't fight it. She just let it go, allowing it to fade into oblivion just as Betsy requested. She could have kept her imprisoned for her transgressions. But a deal was a deal and unlike Selene, she honored those deals.

Once it was over, the body of Betsy Braddock lay limp and lifeless. Rogue groaned as she clenched her head, now hearing a wave of new thoughts. But Mystique was there to catch her. And when the discomfort passed, she smiled proudly at her. She always wanted her children to be strong and this was just another part of it.

"That's gonna take some gettin' used to," said Rogue, rubbing her temples.

"You'll figure it out. You are my daughter after all," said Mystique, "Now let's finish this. We have to get to Selene. And we have to find Kurt."

While Mystique helped her daughter gather herself, Warren's battle against Ororo and Remy was taking a turn for the worse. As soon as the battle started, Warren took to the air and tackled Ororo. She tried shaking him off with a tornado and a burst of rain. But he wouldn't let go. He just kept beating on her and striking her, trying to knock her out. He managed to get her to the ground. There Remy assaulted him, hitting him with a barrage of energy blasts. But Warren was able to take to the skies again to avoid them. Ororo quickly flew up after him, looking to hit him with a burst of lighting. But he managed to grab her again and make it so lightning was no longer viable unless she wanted to hurt herself. But as soon as he saw what happened to Betsy, the winged mutant faltered.

"No…Betsy!" he gasped, "I'll make you all pay for that!"

He started ruthlessly choking Ororo, forcing her to step up the winds and rain around her. Warren was so enraged now he was ready to choke her to death. And Ororo found it difficult to concentrate and break free of his iron grip.

"Ack! Remy…anytime please!" she gasped.

Down below, Remy was trying to be careful. He didn't want to hit his lover with this shot. He had to make this one count so it ended the fight completely. He charged up the biggest ball of energy yet. But because of the winds Ororo and Warren were spinning. And judging by the look in Warren's eyes, he was ready to end her right there. He had to take his shot.

"Hang on, cherè! Just brace yourself!" he urged her.

The Cajun thief took the shot, sending the huge burst of energy right at Warren and Ororo. They were still spinning in mid-air. But just as they spun around with Warren's back facing towards him, the blast struck. And it hit him right in the wings, causing a small explosion that he took the brunt end of.

"Auuugghhh!" exclaimed Warren.

He let go of Ororo and went limp in mid air. Ororo stumbled a bit to get him off, but once he did she pulled away to catch her breath. She turned around just in time to see Warren impact the hard ground. His wings looked mangled, if not broken. Remy's blast hit hard and he was clearly in a world of pain. Having taken some of the blast herself, Ororo flew back down to meet her lover. There Warren tried to grab her again.

"Not this time, young man," she said as she kicked him in the face to knock him out.

"That's my cherè," grinned Remy proudly.

"You couldn't have aimed just a little better?" said the African thief, rubbing her sore neck.

"Aww, Remy's sorry if he put a little too much into it," he said with an innocent grin, "But don't worry. Remy promises he'll make it up to you later."

"You better," said Ororo, managing a smile.

With Warren now down, Selene's forces were dwindling. Not far from Ororo and Remy, Bobby, Rahne, and Kitty were going up against Roberto and Tabitha. It seemed appropriate given they were part of the second new wave of young pawns to come in and used to work closely when they first arrived. But there was little respect or friendship between them now. Roberto and Tabitha had gone with Selene and even as their comrades fell, they fought on.

Roberto and Bobby remained locked in a battle of fire and ice. Bobby kept trying to freeze him while Roberto kept trying to burn him. Their blasts were constantly canceling each other out, creating dense bursts of steam. Bobby kept trying to stay agile by swirling around him on ice slides. Roberto kept trying to shoot him down with solar bursts. His anger fueled his fires, driven by the darkness that Selene had instilled in him. And Bobby's constant taunting didn't help either.

"That the best you can do, hotshot? No wonder I get more girls than you! I bet they don't even work up a sweat around you!" he told him.

"Come a little closer and we'll see how sharp that wit of yours is, Drake!" yelled Roberto.

"Thanks, but no thanks! I'm having too much fun pummeling you like this!"

Bobby formed a pile of snowballs in his hands and started heaving them relentlessly at him. Most evaporated as they hit his face, but they were still annoying and threw off his aim. But he kept on shooting, keeping Bobby on the move.

While Roberto and Bobby fought, Kitty, Rahne, and Tabitha were going hand-to-hand. Early on, Tabitha used huge balls of energy to cause deafening blasts that stunned Rahne because of her sensitive hearing. And while she was stunned, she took her down with a hard punch to the jaw. Kitty quickly came to her aid. Tabitha kept trying to form energy bombs to throw at her, but Kitty kept phasing through and striking back. Having been more attentive during training, Kitty was much better at combat. Tabitha's burning anger and hatred kept her going, fueled by Selene's darkness. Kitty was surprised how much tougher it made her, but it didn't hold her back.

"Hold still, kitty cat!" yelled Tabitha as she wildly threw energy bombs at the ground around her feet, "Time to be put down!"

"You really should have paid more attention to training, Tabby," Kitty taunted, "If you did you would know the value of teamwork! Right Rahne?"

"Aye, Kitty! Let's give her a little example!"

Tabitha threw another round of bombs at her. Kitty phased right through them and attacked. Tabitha prepared to block her, but to her surprise Kitty walked right through her and came up behind her. And before she could react, she grabbed Tabitha from behind and flung her over towards Rahne with a special take down maneuver taught to her by Wolverine. Once Rahne had her in her grasps, she growled menacingly at her and using her superior canine strength she threw her over towards Roberto. And since Roberto was so focused on Bobby, he didn't notice her coming in. When she hit, they both tumbled to the ground.

"Ugh! Damn it, Tabitha! Pull yourself together!" yelled Roberto as he pushed her off, "We can't afford to slow down now!"

"Speak for yourself," grinned Bobby as he moved in closer.

Then before Roberto could fire up his powers again, Bobby hit him with an extra strong ice blast. Thanks to MGH, it was much more potent than the ones he shot him with before. These were so intense it formed a thick layer of ice all around Roberto's body. It was so thick it was like he became encased in a boulder of snow. Bobby kept adding onto it, making it colder and thicker. When he finally felt he was solid he slid down an ice slide next to it and stood in triumph.

"That should cool you down," said Bobby.

"You sure about that?" said Kitty who came up beside him.

They watched as a distinct reddish glow started emanating from within the giant ice ball. Flames started shooting through, causing bursts of steam and slush to come pouring out. Bobby and Kitty took a step back, allowing the snow and ice to fall off. Soon the ice shell cracked and Roberto came bursting out. Only now he wasn't covered in his usual hot flames. He was back in his normal form, looking tired and exhausted. He was also shivering. He fell to the ground and tried desperately to ignite again. But Bobby wouldn't let him.

"Oh no you don't!" he said, grabbing him by the throat, "You're going to take a nice little nap with your friends!"

Bobby then formed a thick boxing glove of ice around his fist and slugged Roberto hard across the face, effectively knocking him out. He then casually let his body fall limply to the ground. He seemed triumphant for a moment, but then Kitty noticed Tabitha trying to get up.

"Looks like I didn't throw her hard enough," said Rahne.

"I can fix that!" grinned Bobby.

Still armed with his ice boxing glove, Bobby finished Tabitha off with another blow to the face. It knocked her out just like Roberto. She fell limply to the ground next to the Brazilian mutant. She was effectively out of the fight and so were most of Selene's minions. Bobby and Kitty stood triumphant over them with Rahne, taking a strong satisfaction in the beating they put on them. These two took part in the torture Selene inflicted on them and now they were paying the price.

"I'd say we're winning," said Bobby confidently.

"Don't get too cocky," warned Rahne, "We still have to get to Selene."

"She doesn't stand a chance!" he scoffed, "Let's hook up with the others and put her on ice!"

With every other minion of Selene's taken down, that left only Monet standing. She and Warpath had been tearing at each other since it all began. Bearing the same advanced reflexes, strength, and durability as Warpath they quickly fought to a stalemate. Even with MGH, Warpath was unable to contend with her telepathic advantage. She was able to read his thoughts and stay a step ahead of him even with greater speed. Every attack he made, she countered. Every time he tried to grab her, she slipped away. And when he did get a hand on her, she hit him with a psychic assault. It stunned him, but didn't stop him.

The fight raged. Warpath tried to hit her with a four punch combo, but she picked up on it and countered with a roundhouse kick. The Apache warrior was able to duck and avoid it, countering with a sweep kick of his own. Monet managed to jump and dodge that, somersaulting away and lunging back at him with dark rage in her eyes. Like all the others, the darkness seemed to give her extra strength. It was almost like a form of MGH. And with Monet she worked it to perfection, staying a step ahead of Warpath with every move.

"Ha! Is that all you got?" taunted Monet, "Face it, Warpath! You can't beat perfection!"

"You sound pretty cocky for someone whose just lost all her support!" grunted Warpath as he missed again with another kick.

"Oh please, do you really think beating me or my little comrades will stop Mistress Selene?" scoffed Monet, "You're just making it harder on yourselves! Our Mistress's triumph is inevitable! Soon she will reign supreme! And this world will fall into a perfect darkness!"

"Is that all there is to you, Monet?" grunted Warpath as he missed again, "Making the world as perfect as you in some form or another?"

"Who said I wanted to make the world perfect?" laughed Monet, "It's not the goal that has to be flawless. It's the plan! Mistress Selene has done something I've always sought, but never could! She's put together a perfect plan to completely redo this world! When you live like me, seeing imperfection wherever you go, you understand when it gets to a point where you just have to tear it all down and start from scratch!"

Then Monet struck him with a particularly hard blow to the gut, causing the Apache warrior to keel over.

"Augh!" he groaned.

"You're hardly perfect so you'll never understand," said Monet as she grabbed him by the hair and prepared to strike hima gain, "You'll just be a pawn in Mistress Selene's plan."

"Maybe you're right," groaned Warpath, "But I do understand THIS!"

With a hard grunt, Warpath lunged forth and head-butted Monet right on the forehead. She was so caught up taunting him she didn't pick up on it with her telepathy. As soon as she was stunned, Warpath summoned his rage and strength and delivered a devastating series of punches to the face. He then finished it off with a powerful kick to the chest that sent her flying back towards the steps of the temple. Despite her invulnerability, Monet felt it and struggled to get up.

"Ungh…you oversized brute!" grunted Monet, "Don't you get it?! You've already lost! You've all lost!"

She was about to begin another attack when suddenly the ground started shaking. It felt like an earthquake coming from deep within the mountain. It got intense quickly, causing even Monet and Warpath to lose their balance. The others quickly noticed too. Scott, Jean, Piotr, Rogue, Pietro, Logan, Mystique, Bobby, Jubilee, Kitty, Sam, Julian, Rahne, Remy, Ororo, and Deadpool were gathering around the base to the temple when Warpath struck Monet. Some lost their balance. Others started noticing cracks forming in the plateau.

It was an ominous sign. The whole mountain was becoming unstable. To Monet it was a sign that Mistress Selene had succeeded with the ritual. It meant that she had succeeded. The ritual was complete and darkness was going to reign supreme!

"Ha! You feel that? That's Mistress Selene completing the ritual that will destroy you all!" she proclaimed, "Face it! It's over!"

For a moment the Hellfire Pawns stood silent and stoic. Then to Monet's surprise and dismay, they all started smiling. They knew something she didn't. This rumbling wasn't a result of Mistress Selene or her ritual. It was the result of something else. And it was something that may very well spell doom for Selene and her ultimate plan.

"Whew, I don't know what that girl is on, but I want some!" laughed Deadpool

"What? What is this? Why are you all smiling?!" demanded Monet.

Jean, who sensed the disturbance even before it happened, walked up to the confused Monet and stared down at her. She like the rest of her minions made a grave mistake choosing to follow Selene. Now they were about to find out that they weren't the only ones with a few devious tricks of their sleeves. Selene could run and hide all she wanted. But she could never hide from the Hellfire Club.

"This rumbling isn't from your side, it's from ours," said Jean in a taunting leer, "This little ritual of yours ends here! And if I were you I'd brace yourself. Because Selene and every other one of her minions is about to get a harsh reminder in Hellfire justice."

* * *

**Up next: It all finally comes to ahead. Everything Selene and Xavier have fought over is about to come to an end. And from the darkness, secrets will be revealed and the ultimate fate of the Hellfire Club will take shape.**

**AN: It's almost over. Please send me your feedback now before it all comes to an end. Post a review on the fanfiction website or send it to me via email. Thanks to all those who have supported me thus far. I hope to end this on a high note.  
**


	19. Dark Endgames

**New Blood  
Chapter 19: Dark Endgames**

* * *

**Temple of Orcus – Outside**

Selene's minions had been defeated. Xavier and the Hellfire Pawns stood triumphant over them. But their victory was far from complete. It was obvious from the beginning that Selene's minions never intended to stop them outright. They were just supposed to slow them down until Selene completed whatever she was doing. Now time was running out fast. Selene was on the verge of succeeding. But then Xavier and his pawns got a break and it looked like they were slowing Selene down for a change.

Warpath had just knocked out Monet. Now he along with Scott, Jean, Piotr, Rogue Pietro, Logan, Mystique, Bobby, Jubilee, Kitty, Sam, Julian, Rahne, Remy, Ororo, Deadpool, and Laura stood at the base of the Temple of Orcus with the ground shaking violently around them. They could see cracks and ruptures in the rock around them. The temple itself started to show signs of damage, a clear sign that Selene wasn't behind this. This was Xavier's doing. And it may be their ticket inside.

"It looks like Lord Xavier found that Amara girl," said Sam.

"Wow, you have more than two brain cells to rub together," commented Deadpool, "Thanks for stating the obvious? Now can you tell me the meaning of life?"

"Who cares? Will it be enough to stop Selene?" asked Mystique.

Jean, the only one among them who was mystically inclined, walked up to the glowing energy barrier that surrounded the temple and kept them out. She placed her hand over and through the rumbling she felt it flicker. It apparently wasn't cast with earthquakes in mind.

"No, it won't stop her," said Jean, "But it will slow her down and give us a way in!"

"Does that mean you can break the barrier?" asked Scott.

"I think so," said Jean, "But only briefly. I'll have to fight my way inside and take down Wanda. She's the one who cast this spell."

"Wanda? How do you know?" demanded Pietro.

"It's a magic thing. I don't have time to explain it," said Jean, keeping her hand on the barrier, "Everybody stand back! I'm going to see if I can use the Phoenix to force my way in!"

"Oh this is going to be hot," grinned Deadpool.

"Shut up, Wade," groaned Scott.

Everybody did as Jean requested and stood back. They watched as she powered up her Phoenix abilities, summoning the power that few mysticisms could hope to possess. She placed both hands on the barrier, her eyes glowing with a fiery intent as a glowing halo of fiery flames engulfed her body. The shaking around them continued to intensify. They weren't sure if it was from Amara or if it was from Jean. But they could tell something was happening because the barrier continued to flicker.

"**I…I'm almost there! I can push through! Just a little bit…"**

Then in a bright burst of Phoenix flames, the whole dome disappeared for a brief moment. As soon as it did, Jean pushed through. When the others saw this they rushed the temple.

"Everybody, move in!" ordered Scott.

They all scrambled to the front gate of the temple. But before anyone could get through, the barrier went up again. Many of the pawns grunted in frustration. Warpath and Piotr angrily struck the barrier. Mystique was equally frustrated, knowing full well her son was probably on the other side.

"Damn it! Jean, could you open it again?" said Rogue.

But Jean was already rushing inside, flying on the heels of her Phoenix powers.

"**There's no time! I'll knock the barrier out once I knock Wanda out! Just stay back and be ready! I'll be okay!"**

"Jean!" Scott called out.

But it was too late. Jean was already out of sight, plunging into the depths of the dark temple. It left the rest of the pawns frustrated and anxious. They wanted a shot at Selene too. But they were going to have to wait their turn. They could only hope that Jean's Phoenix powers were enough to protect her. But that didn't stop Scott, Rogue, or Logan from worrying about her.

"She'll be okay," said Rahne confidently, "Just hope she leaves some left for the rest of us."

"I hope you're right," said Scott distantly.

It was sure to be an agonizing wait, especially as the storm clouds above continued to intensify. While the shaking mountain was sure to slow Selene down, it wasn't going to stop her. They still had to confront her, but it looked as though they would have to wait a little longer.

As frustrating consumed many of the pawns, their spirits were momentarily lifted by the appearance of a familiar presence Moria and Emma.

"It appears ye did well taking care of Selene's defenses," said Moria as she approached the base of the temple.

"Mom! You're back!" exclaimed Rahne, always relieved to see her mother.

"Of course, lass. Ye didn't think we'd have any trouble now did ye?" grinned Moria.

The other pawns turned their attention to Moria and Emma. While they were glad to see them it quickly dawned on them that someone was missing.

"Lady MacTaggart," said Piotr respectfully, "Where is Amara? And what about Lord Xavier and Danielle?"

Emma took this one, bearing the same confidence as Moria. Even though she was not viewed favorably by many, she did know a bit more about what was going on than the others at the moment. And she took some solace in that.

"Oh don't worry about Amara. We found her and she's doing her part," said Emma.

"But what about Lord Xavier? Why isn't he with you?" asked Julian.

"What makes you think that he isn't?" said Moria with a mischievous grin.

The young Hellfire Pawns looked at Moria strangely. She and Emma had that look on her face that they all had whenever they knew something their enemies didn't. And more often than not, it led to their enemies suffering at the hands of a crippling defeat. That seemed somewhat impossible when dealing with someone like Selene. But a few pawns did pick up on it and felt a renewed confidence.

"So what's the plan now?" asked Scott more seriously, "I take it Lord Xavier did a little improvising."

"Charles never improvises," smirked Moria, "He takes in a situation and finds a way to exploit it. All ye need to know is that Selene is in for a rude awakening. We just have to be ready when it all comes together."

* * *

**Temple of Orcus – Central Ritual Area**

The tremors from the mountain were felt with much greater intensity inside the temple. Selene, who had already been thrown off after the arrival of Xavier's pawns, was fuming as she was thrown off once more. She stumbled and nearly lost her grip on the blood stones. Twice she was cut off in mid chant, having to reorient the stones and wait for Wanda to reset the materials. The candles were falling to the floor, cracks were starting to show in the walls and floors, and even the gate itself was being affected by the tremors. But so long as it was up, the ritual was still on. It was just getting much more difficult.

"Errrrr! Damn you, Xavier!" grunted Selene as she held the main blood stone over the other pieces, "Wanda, keep those podiums stable!"

"I'm trying, Mistress!" said Wanda, using her hex powers to keep as many of the podiums holding the children as stable as possible, "What could be causing this? Is this part of the ritual?"

"Of course it isn't!" exclaimed Selene, "Xavier's trying to disrupt me! But if he thinks he a few tremors can stop me he's sadly mistaken! Just keep everything stable for a little while longer! I'm almost done with the stones!"

"Yes, Mistress! But I may not be able to keep the barrier up at this rate!"

"Don't let up, my pupil! I'm so close!" exclaimed the Black Queen.

Struggling to keep her balance, Selene gripped one of the podiums as she held the remaining blood stone over the other four pieces. They were all glowing brightly now, the energy from the ritual surging through them and filling the whole temple with a powerful aura of dark mystical energy. It was growing more intense by the second. The gateway continued to pulse, fueling the energy and keeping the ritual going despite the tremors. It was almost complete. Selene chanted one more phrase of spells, her every worth seething with determination. She had waited too long and come too far to be thwarted now.

"By the power of the Gate of Orcus I command thee in the name of darkness! Reunite the blood stones! Become whole again as thy once were in the fires of Hell!"

All five pieces of the blood stones erupted in a blinding burst of light. Then from the gate that was being kept open by Illyana, powerful column of fire shot out and consumed each stone, focusing mostly on the one Selene was holding. As soon as she felt the surge of dark energy, she let go of the stone she was holding and stepped back. Upon doing so, the main stone hovered in mid air just over the other stones. Selene watched eagerly as more fires consumed them. Soon the other four stones were levitated as well, rising up and swirling around the main stone. In order for this ritual to be complete, the blood stones had to be reunited again. Once complete it was only a matter of making the necessary sacrifice.

The tremors intensified, but Selene kept her balance as she watched the stones. After about fifteen seconds of burning fires and blinding mystical light, the five stones came together in a brilliant display of hellish power. Then with a strange hissing sound, the five ancient stones fused together to complete a perfect, red ruby stone that was spherical in shape with sharp points protruding around it, making it look like a tiny red star of burning light. It had an ominously hellish aura. Selene could tell jut by looking at it that this stone had come from the very fires of Hell. It was beautiful. And now it was hers.

"Yes…at last!" she proclaimed as she clutched the hovering relic, "The blood stones are whole again!"

As soon as she held the stone in her hand, she felt the powers of Hell surge through her. It was invigorating, intoxicating, and intense in every way. It was just a taste of the god-like powers she was soon to wield. The Gate of Orcus burned brighter, flashing with a new intensity as if to build up the power for the grand finale of the ritual. There remained only one final step.

"Wanda…" she said, turning towards her anxious pupil, "It's time. Make the sacrifice and the ritual will be complete."

"Yes Mistress," said Wanda.

With the ceremonial dagger in her hand, Wanda walked up to one of the podiums where one of the twelve mutant infants were silently sleeping. The first one she came to was a girl with blue skin and dark hair. Looking at it, she knew who it belonged to. She cold see it in the face of the child. Sinister used her and Kurt to create this infant. And in all likelihood, she carried this child briefly in her womb. Now she was about to sacrifice it.

Holding the dagger over the child's body, Wanda Maximoff took a deep breath and prepared to comply with her mistress's orders. Deep down she knew what she was doing, but there was little hesitation or disgust. She had fallen too far into the darkness to think twice now. If sacrificing her child was what her Mistress decreed. Then so be it.

"May the first blood sacrifice be received into the hands of the dark lord himself!" proclaimed Wanda, "I do this in the name of my Mistress!"

Gripping the dagger intently, she held it over the baby's chest. And with a sharp grunt prepared to stab it's heart. But before the blade could reach her child, a puff of smoke appeared beside her and the child was abruptly pulled away by the familiar arms of Kurt Wagner. The dagger hit nothing and before Wanda could respond, Kurt teleported away from the stage and protectively clutched the child.

"NO!" yelled Selene in a rage as she saw this.

"Kurt?! What are you doing?!" exclaimed Wanda in a rage.

The baby started crying and Kurt protectively cradled her in his arms, his stoic gaze finally waning and turning to one of dread and sorrow.

"Forgive me, my love. But I vill not stand by vhy you sacrifice our child," he said.

Selene was fuming. Of all the times for one of her minions to have a change of heart, why did it have to be now? Wanda was supposed to have an iron grip on Kurt with the love spell she put on him. And here he was defying her like this. It threatened the whole ritual. Time was running out and a blood sacrifice had to be made.

"Wanda! Get that damn child back right now!" commanded Selene, "I don't care what you have to do that man of yours, just get it back! The ritual cannot be completed without the sacrifice!"

"I will, Mistress. Don't worry," she said strongly as she stormed over to the corner.

Then while Kurt was protectively clutching the baby, Wanda surrounded him in a shroud of hex bolts. She then shocked him with a painful surge, causing him to let out a groan of agony. Burning with anger and intent, she levitated her lover into the air. His grip on the baby was strong, but he was only delaying the inevitable.

"Kurt, I'm only going to ask you once! Give me the child!" she demanded.

"I vill not," said Kurt defiantly.

"You dare defy your love?! You WILL listen to me, Kurt! Or mark my word I won't hesitate to end you!"

"If zhat is vhat you desire mien love, so be it," said Kurt, "But I vill not stand by and vatch you sacrifice zhe fruit of our love."

"That child is NOT the fruit of our love! Were no not listening?! Sinister created it like all the others! They are meant for one purpose and one purpose alone! And that is to be scarified in the name of our Mistress!"

"Be zhat as it may, I cannot allow you do zhis," said Kurt, "Zhis child is ours. I cannot allow her to suffer such a fate. Please, my love…do not do zhis."

Wanda's expression tensed with more anger. Her lover was being very difficult and she could have easily ended him with one well placed hex bolt. But a part of her hesitated. As much as she despised Kurt's defiance, a part of her did truly have feelings for this man. They were present even before Selene came to her. And they could not be tossed aside so easily.

But with the rumbling growing stronger and time running out for the ritual, Selene would not have it. She needed that child and she was going to get it one way or another.

"Damn it, Wanda! Kill him already and take the child!" ordered Selene, "The ritual must be complete. And if you won't do it than I will!"

Selene gripped the completed blood stone and pointed it at Kurt. Wanda was still hesitating, not willing to go through with her orders completely. But Selene had no such qualms. If she had to sacrifice her apprentice and her love then so be it. She wasn't going to be denied.

But just as she was about to strike Kurt dead, an ominous tone interrupted her.

"Oh no you don't!" said the determined voice of Jean Grey.

Then before Selene could unleash the power of the blood stone, a powerful burst of Phoenix energy shot out and hit her right in the hand. The Black Queen let out a pained gasp as she clutched her hand and dropped the glowing blood stone. Then with seething anger she turned around only to see Jean Grey flying towards her, consumed in Phoenix fire, at high speeds. And before she could react, she was struck and sent flying across the temple right into a wall.

"Mistress!" exclaimed Wanda, diverting her attention from Kurt and rushing towards her mentor.

But just as Jean was rising up from Selene's stunned form, she turned towards Wanda with her eyes glowing brightly with Phoenix fire. She then used her telekinesis with a touch of extra Phoenix magic to hit her with an enormous wave of force that sent her flying back as if she had been hit by a freight train. The first thing she hit was a chandelier that was hanging from the ceiling. It struck her right on the head and knocked her out almost instantly. Her unconscious body then tumbled the hard ground, striking the far side of the wall and coming to rest in a corner. It effectively took out Selene's apprentice, leaving only her to face the wrath of the Phoenix.

But Phoenix or not, Selene was livid. First her ritual was interrupted by the arrival of Xavier's pawns. Then the tremors started. Then one of her minions turned on her. And now someone had the audacity to strike her like this. It infuriated her on every possible level. She had worked so hard for this over so many centuries. She had been so close to grasping ultimate power. She wasn't about to let it slip through her fingers.

"Errrrrrrrrrrahhhhhhhhhh!" she roared in a rage.

Rising up from her position, she summoned all her mystical prowess and hit Jean with a punishing mystic blast. And even in her Phoenix form, it struck her hard and she was forced off the Black Queen. But it only left her stunned, not deterred.

"**Augh! Is that the best you can do?"**

Selene clenched her fists, her eyes burning brightly with the intensity of pure darkness. The ritual left her feeling very empowered. Not even the Phoenix could deter her. She watched with anger and annoyance as Jean quickly rose up, the fiery aura of the Phoenix flames still surrounding her body.

"You foolish bitch!" taunted Selene, "The Phoenix again?! Of all the pathetic, worthless, insolent mortals to grasp such power…"

"**Insult me all you want, Selene. I'm in control of this power now. I'm not some armature you can just brush off. I can now tap the very fires of creation! And with these fires you shall BURN!"**

"Ha! Even with the Phoenix you're still just a mortal parading around with powers you don't understand!" scoffed the Black Queen, "Let me show you how a real immortal wields power!"

Tapping into the dark energy from the Gate of Orcus, Selene formed a powerful aura of purplish energy around her body and formed a massive burst that she directed right at Jean. Using the Phoenix, she created a powerful mystical barrier. Any other mystic would have had the flesh torn off their bones, but the fiery flames created a strong enough barrier to deflect it. Gritting her teeth in determination, Jean responded from her blow with a burst of her own. She tapped into the primal forces of the Phoenix and unleashed columns of golden flares that arced over her shield and struck Selene. But the Black Queen was able to deflect them, but not with the same ease as she expected. Immortal or not, the power of the Phoenix was great and she could not just destroy her as she could so many other mystics.

Selene stepped up her assault, using her magic to help her take to the air and launch a barrage of more mystic bursts. These were less concentrated, unleashing a torrent of bursts that forced Jean to expand her barrier. With her eyes still glowing brightly, she pushed herself further and took to the air as well. Now she and Selene were hovering twenty feet off the temple floor, each with powerful barriers protecting them from each others' mystical blasts. Selene's angry grunts intensified as she remained on the offensive, relentlessly pouring more and more energy into her attacks and forcing Jean to stay on the defensive. She was only able to counter with a small window of time, but made sure each fiery blast hit hard and kept Selene at bay.

"You're going to have to do better than that!" taunted Selene.

"**So are you."**

Now it was Jean's turn to go on the offensive. She flew up higher and concentrated harder. A brief burst of flames caused a fiery bird shape to engulf her. Selene tried to hit her with another burst, but this time she didn't just deflect the blast. She absorbed it, amplified it with the flames of the Phoenix, and redirected it back at the Black Queen. When it struck her, it knocked her back against a nearby pillar. But she was only stunned, not defeated. She quickly tried to launch another attack, but Jean didn't let her. She went all out, unleashing upon her the wrath of the Phoenix.

Keeping Selene pinned near the pillar, Jean fired burst after burst of Phoenix flares. Some got through her barrier and struck Selene, but it only stunned her. She kept her defenses up, taking each blow as Jean drew closer and the flames consumed her even more. Selene was working off pure rage now. She was doing much better than anyone had done against her in a long time. Jean worked off the focus and passion she had worked so hard on with Scott, Enchantress, and everyone else she ever practice magic with. She inched her way closer and closer to the Black Queen, the memories of what she did to her driving her harder.

Eventually, Jean was hovering mere inches from Selene. Her energy field and her Phoenix flames were now burning together, fighting one another for supremacy. Through this power she reached out and tried to clutch Selene by the throat. But Selene didn't let her. She grabbed her hands and began forcing her back. Still hovering over the stage, it wasn't lost on Selene that the ritual was still going on. The final sacrifice still had to be made. But she couldn't make it as long as she had the Phoenix in her way. With that in mind she stepped up her power, driving her back as her energy burned brighter to match the Phoenix. Soon she had the upper hand again.

"**Ungh! You…will…suffer…for your…crimes!"**

"My only crime is not killing you and Xavier's cretins sooner!" exclaimed Selene, "If you think you're power can change your fate! Think again!"

Selene's eyes then flashed brighter and as she and Jean remained locked in a bitter grasp, she unleashed another mystic bolt. This time it came from her eyes and it hit Jean right in the face, causing her to fall back briefly. And that was all the time Selene needed to make her move. She delivered a punishing right cross, knocking Jean back even further. Then with both fists clenched she formed a glowing all of energy. Then she delivered a punishing downward blow that Jean was unable to resist with her barriers. She was sent tumbling back to the ground.

When she impacted she was momentarily dazed, but the fires of the Phoenix still burned brightly around her. She quickly tried to pick herself up, but Selene didn't give her a chance. She flew down towards her at high speeds, pinning her down with her foot right on her neck with her overpowering energy pressing down against her. Jean grunted and gasps as she tried to push the Black Queen off of her, but it was no use. She was too strong and her energy was too intense.

Still seething with rage, Selene stood atop the Phoenix in a dominating gesture. She was proving even to a primal mystical force that she was stronger. And she was going to be triumphant. Nothing was going to stop her.

"You and your kind have delayed my ascension for the last time!" proclaimed the Black Queen, "Don't you see? You're already too late! Soon I'll sacrifice the children and ultimate power will be mine! Do you hear me?! I will wield the power of a true god! All shall bow down before me! Nothing can stop it! It is my destiny! It is my fate!"

She put more pressure on Jean, seething with anger as she prepared to strike her again. Then to her shock her expression changed. Now she was smiling ominously. Something big was about to change.

"**Your fate…has already been sealed."**

Before Selene could make sense of her words, a new voice entered the fight. And it was the last voice Selene wanted to hear.

"It's over, Selene," said Charles Xavier, "As the Black King of the Hellfire Club, your rank is hereby revoked."

Then Selene turned around and she saw him. Charles Xavier was standing near the center of the stage between the podiums and the Gate of Orcus. And in his hand was the completed blood stone. Behind him was Danielle Moonstar, who couldn't stop smiling as she casually leaned against a pillar. What he did next filled Selene with dread and horror the likes of which she had never felt in her immortal life.

"THE STONE! NOOOOOOOOOOOO!"

"Oh yes," grinned Xavier.

Gripping the stone firmly, Xavier threw the glowing relic down onto the rocky ground as hard as he could. Selene tried to fly over and save it, but before she could Jean hit her with a paralyzing Phoenix blast. This time she didn't deflect it. When it hit her, she fell to the floor where she could only watch as the stones impacted and shattered into countless pieces. And when she saw those stones shattered, the Black Queen saw her dreams of ultimate power shatter with her.

With the blood stone destroyed, a massive burst of light erupted from the ruins and consumed the stage. Xavier promptly ran off, meeting up with Jean and Danielle near Selene's downed form. Now the building was shaking even more severely, only this time it wasn't coming from Amara. It was coming from something much more powerful.

"What's happening now, Lord Xavier?" asked Danielle anxiously.

"I'm not sure, but I believe Selene's little ritual has officially failed."

The light from the stones rose up and all the dark energy that Selene had summoned from the gate collected into a bright ball of energy. It kept rising until it passed through the ceiling and up into the clouds above. There it exploded in a brilliant flash, taking with it all the dark clouds and storminess that had been brewing. It also took with it the darkness that had filled Selene's minions, causing them all to tense and groan in pain. In the process, the barrier Wanda cast earlier was shattered and the rest of Xavier's pawns were allowed to enter.

They all rushed in to meet up with their mentor, who was still standing over Selene just outside the stage. Scott, Piotr, Rogue, Warpath, Pietro, Logan, Mystique, Bobby, Jubilee, Kitty, Sam, Julian, Rahne, Remy, Ororo, Deadpool, Danielle, Emma, Laura, and Moria all breathed a sigh of relief when they saw Selene down and defeated. The darkness that had filled this whole kingdom seemed lifted. Yet the Gate of Orcus was still open.

"Never thought I'd ever see Selene look this pathetic," commented Emma.

"I know, which makes it all the more satisfying," said Mystique with a grin.

"So…is it over, Lord Xavier?" asked Jubilee.

Xavier looked down at Selene and then over at the glowing Gate of Orcus. Even though the ritual had failed, there were still some loose ends that had to be resolved.

"Not quite," said Xavier ominously.

Everybody turned their attention to the glowing gate. There they all saw an ominous figure taking shape from within the fiery glow. It was a figure that looked every bit as hellish and macabre as one would expect an ally of Selene to be. Only this was no ally. When it emerged it revealed an imposing figure with a sinister red complexion and eyes as evil as anything they had ever seen. Even for the Hellfire Club, it was a figure worthy of myth. But anybody who studied the world of darkness knew this figure. He was a hell lord of unparalleled power. He was the Hell Lord, Mephisto.

"Is…is that who I think it is?" asked Ororo.

"Yes, my dear," said Xavier in a calm tone, "But do not worry. He is not here to cause us any trouble. Isn't that right, Mephisto?"

The dark Hell Lord grinned with a look worthy of the greatest evil.

"_**You're a smart one, Xavier. I had a feeling our paths would cross sooner or later."**_

"I'm sure you did," said the Black King as he stepped forth to approach the dark figure, "I take it you're here for Selene?"

"_**You could say that. But it's quite a bit more complicated than you think."**_

Mephiso then held his hand out. As he did, Selene's near unconscious body levitated and was guided over towards the dark lord. Xavier stepped out of the way, allowing Mephisto to confront the woman who worked so hard to gain powers like his.

"_**Tsk tsk, Selene. I had such high hopes for you. For a while I really believed you would succeed in filling this world of darkness. It sure would have made my job a lot easier of tormenting souls. But you just couldn't pull it off, could you? You failed me. And you know the price of failure."**_

Selene, now weakened and distraught, cringed under the gaze of the Hell Lord. Never before had she been consumed with such fear and anxiety. For all her power and immortality, she was still not a god or a lord. In the grasp of Mephisto, she was as weak as any other.

"Mephiso…please," Selene begged, "I…I can still succeed!"

"_**Ha! You of all people should know, Selene, that I don't give second chances. We made a deal and you failed your end. As such I hereby strip you of all your powers and abilities. I also strip you of your will and higher functions. You will henceforth be as weak and impotent as an insect."**_

"No…NO! AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!"

An ominous aura consumed Selene and a strange mist shot out from her mouth and eyes. She could feel the power and strength she so coveted leaving her. She could also feel her mind slipping away. Her will, desire, and capacity to think was removed painfully in an imposing show of raw hellish force. The dark lord savored her screams of agony. Xavier and his pawns savored them as well, for they were long overdue. When it was over, Mephisto casually let her body fall limply to the floor. And like a weak little animal, she curled up into a fetal position and whimpered.

"_**Ah how the mighty fall hard. I take it you all enjoyed that."**_

None of the pawns said anything, not willing to risk saying something wrong to a real hell lord, but they didn't hide the smug satisfaction they got watching Selene get stripped of her powers. Only Xavier came forward to speak.

"So what are you going to do with her?" asked Xavier, "Take her and her minions to your realm and torture them for all eternity?"

"_**I could. But honestly, where's the fun in that? They're all still so young and Selene's inflicted so much punishment that amount of the usual torment in the bits of Hell will deliver the appropriate measures. I have all eternity to do that to her, but she and her minions still have plenty of life left to live in this world. So I'll have to come up with another way to torment them."**_

Xavier grinned at his words and stepped closer, not showing any fear or anxiety for being so close to the Hell Lord. Even though this beings power far exceeded his, he was not afraid to confront him.

"Then might I make a suggestion?" he said in a reasonable tone, "Leave Selene and her minions with us. Keep them alive, but take away their powers and their free will. Make them every bit as weak and impotent as Selene."

"_**And why would I want to do that?"**_

"Because as long as they live, my pawns and I will be able to punish them on our own for as long as they live. Taking their souls now would only grant them death's mercy and neither of us wants to see that. Let them live and I'll see to it that they all pay for their crimes appropriately, including Selene."

"_**Ha! And how would I know that a mortal such as you will be able to punish them appropriately?"**_

"Because Mephisto, you know full well what I'm capable of. And you know I've conditioned my pawns to be every bit as capable. It's just a matter of what you feel is best."

The dark lord grinned sadistically at the Black King. For a mortal, this man was really something. He wasn't as dark or devious as Selene, but he had a grand capacity for torment and suffering. That in many ways was even more devious than people like Selene. And as a Hell Lord, he had every right to dictate the fates.

"_**Are you trying to propose a deal?"**_

"Of course not. I know how deals with you always end up," said Xavier, "This is just a suggestion. Do what you will. But understand that my pawns and I are not prone to your cunning. We will do whatever we must to continue and we do not need your help. We only need your decision."

Mephisto let out a dark laugh. Then to the surprise of many, he looked at Xavier with a hint of admiration.

"_**You're a wise man, Charles Xavier. I know you're too smart to fall for my tricks. And neither are your pawns. I can tell you've trained them to be smarter than that. That's why I'm going do as you suggest. I'm going to strip all of Selene's minions of their spirit and free will as well and entrust their suffering to you."**_

Xavier grinned ominously. Hell Lords may be known for their devious and dark nature, but they were still easy to reason with.

"Thank you. I assure you they're in capable hands," said the Black King.

"_**Oh I'm sure they are. And I'm sure they'll be in for quite a treat. Them and the rest of this world! I may not be able to tap into it as I would if Selene had succeeded. But I can always get a keen sense of satisfaction watching you succeed?"**_

"What do you mean?" asked Xavier curiously.

Mephiso grinned with his hellish leer as he looked at Xavier and back at his pawns. Unlike them, he was an immortal hell lord that had a keen understanding of not just how this reality works, but how it could have worked. He could see the paths they took in life and how they got where they were now. He could also see the other paths they could have taken. And seeing how they ended up he couldn't help but be satisfied.

"_**Let's just say I've seen all the paths you and your pawns have taken. And I know what you could have become. You could have done so much good in this world, using your powers for more noble purposes. But you didn't. Instead you used them to gain power, wealth, and personal pleasure. And now that Selene is out of your way you'll just get more powerful and more determined. This entire world will live under your thumb, not knowing that they are being controlled and dictated by a hidden force. Every human being will think they're free, yet they'll all have with them that little fear in the back of their minds that you instill that reminds them who is in charge. Such power doesn't make you a god or king of any sort. It just makes you a tyrant. And that's all you'll ever be."**_

Xavier was silent for a moment and so were the others. His expression didn't change. If anything, it hardened. Then the Black King gave the dark lord an answer that was sure to satisfy him even more.

"I'm okay with that," he said.

Mephisto just grinned. This world was in for a long, arduous reign. But it couldn't be in more capable hands. And it was sure to keep his realm filled with the souls of the corrupt and dark for many years to come.

"_**You never cease to deliver, Charles. I'll be keeping a close eye on you. And your little club."**_

"I'm sure you will," said Xavier, "And don't expect me or any of my allies to walk Selene's path again."

"_**Of course. I would expect nothing less."**_

The Black King and his pawns watched as Mephisto returned to the Gate of Orcus. He had done what he had to do and since Xavier wasn't going to make a deal or anything, he had no reason to stay. He had his place in his realm and Xavier had his. And he was content to leave it that way.

"_**Enjoy your new toys. And for the rest of you young pawns, take a bit of advice from a true Hell Lord. Being good is so overrated. Never be afraid to embrace a little darkness!"**_

"We never are," said the Black King, "Within reason of course."

Mephisto laughed once more. His trips to the mortal realm were always eventful. But this was by far the most interesting. Charles Xavier and his Hellfire Club were no ordinary mortals. They were something so much more, far from heroes or villains. They were a different breed and one that would ensure him plenty to look forward to.

"_**Ha! Oh this world is in for such a ride! Goodbye, Charles! Goodbye, Hellfire Club! Keep making your dark allies proud!"**_

The laughing continued even as Mephiso disappeared into the Gate of Orcus. As soon as he did, the fiery light that made up the gate waned and eventually faded. As soon as it did, Illyana Rasputin reappeared. Having acted as the unwitting medium during the whole ritual she was weakened and utterly exhausted. But she was still alive. And when Piotr saw her his eyes widened with shock and worry.

"Illyana?!" he exclaimed.

"Hnn…Piotr," she said weakly.

Piotr ran up to her and swiftly broke her restraints. Kitty and Jean followed close behind, standing by him as he cradled his younger sister in his powerful arms. He had no idea she had been caught up in this. He immediately worried if Selene had done something to her. Jean was already in the process of checking, but Piotr remained focused on her.

"Illyana, what happened?" he asked her intently.

"I…I'm not sure," said the young Russian girl, "That woman, Selene, kidnapped me. She…she said she was going to use me in some ritual."

"Well don't worry, Illyana. We stopped it," assured Kitty, "Selene won't be using you or anybody any longer."

Illyana let out a sigh of relief upon hearing that. But she was still dizzy and disoriented. Her body and mind had been pushed in ways it had never been pushed before. She was so close to giving out completely. But she held on long enough for her brother and his fellow pawns to save her. He made good on the promise he made time and again to be there for her when she needed him.

"Is she going to be okay, Jean?" asked Piotr.

Jean tapped her Phoenix powers to scan Illyana's mind and spirit.

"She's tired, but she'll be fine," said Jean, "Selene must have been using her powers to keep the Gate of Orcus opened. It didn't leave any lasting effects, but I do sense she is linked to mystical forces. I think this just revealed."

"Mystical forces, you say?" said Piotr as he looked down at his sister's prone form with a slight smile, "Well then, I suppose that means she's more powerful than we thought."

"Looks like you may have competition, Jean," commented Kitty.

Jean smiled at Kitty and then down at Illyana.

"I don't mind. We're going to need more mystical experts now that Selene has been stripped of her rank. And if she's anything like her brother, she'll have a bright future in the Hellfire Club."

Piotr couldn't help but smile with pride. It was somewhat daunting to think of Illyana as working her way into the Hellfire Club. But after having faced Selene head on there was no use denying it. His sister was every bit as tough as he was even in his metal form. Sighing in relief, he let Illyana fall asleep in his arms. He then turned towards Kitty, who cast him a warm smile. It was a fitting way to end such a difficult fight. But this wasn't the end. It was only the beginning.

But Piotr wasn't the only one to go after family. As soon as Mephisto left, Mystique and Rogue ran over to Kurt, who was still in the corner clutching the infant girl that Wanda tried to sacrifice. He stayed silent and docile, even after the darkness was expunged by Selene's defeat. But unlike the others, he didn't lose his free will completely. He seemed very much aware of what was going on.

"Kurt?" said Rogue, "What the hell did you do?"

Kurt looked up at his sister and mother, who he willingly tortured so callously, with a weak and vulnerable gaze.

"I…I couldn't let her do it," he said softly, "She vas going to sacrifice my child. I couldn't let it happen."

"So you stopped it," said Mystique, still looking at her son with great scorn, "You couldn't have done this sooner?"

"No…I couldn't," he said, "But I knew zhe both of you vould keep your promise. I knew you vould stop me and vhat I have become before it vas too late."

Mystique and Rogue exchanged glances. As disappointed as they were in Kurt, they did remember his fateful words to them. He trusted them to stop him before he went too far. And they did. Now he was weak and docile, yet in his eyes he was still Kurt. That was something to take solace in. But they had a long way to go and he knew it.

"You do know your deeds cannot go unpunished, son," said Mystique sternly.

"I know," he said softly, "I vill accept vhatever consequences I deserve. I owe as such for you keeping your promise."

Mystique and Rogue knelt down to the broken young man, watching as he cradled the infant mutant child. He looked so distant and lost, yet he seemed content in some ways. It was as if he was glad things ended like this. They hadn't gone as far as Selene wanted. A different fate awaited him and his child. And despite all the pain and suffering they had endured, both Mystique and Rogue placed their hands on Kurt's weary shoulders. He was no longer a slave to darkness. But he was a slave to his own fate now and they would see to it that he never walked that path again.

Not far from Kurt, Pietro approached the barely conscious Wanda with Rahne by his side. Throughout this fight he had lost a father and nearly lost his half-sister. But despite all the bitterness that lingered with his family, he still managed to adhere to his father's final wish. He helped stop Wanda. And now here she was, alive and well, but weak and distant. Rahne helped raise her until she was in a sitting position. Her eyes were barely open, but the hatred and darkness that had dominated for so long was now gone.

"Wanda? Can you hear me?" he told her.

She weakly turned towards him and gave him a look of despair.

"Pietro…I'm sorry," she said in a weak tone.

Then in an unexpected show of weakness and submission, she started crying. Pietro wasn't sure how to react at first, but he ended up pulling her into an embrace where she started crying into his shoulder. His expression remained the same. Wanda had done a lot to push herself away from him over the years. After Selene got to her she became a different person. Now that person was dead and all that was left was a shell of the sister he once knew. But for all the pain and hardship she caused him, he was content with just having her back in a way he could embrace.

"You're not going to just accept her apology like that, are ye?" said Rahne.

"Of course not," replied Pietro, "She's going to answer to her crimes like all the others. But I'm still her brother. It's only proper that I take care of her in the appropriate manner."

It wasn't the kindest show of sibling affection. But to Rahne it seemed fitting enough. Pietro had been on the brunt end of Wanda's many wraths. Now he was the one in charge. It was poetic justice in many ways. And knowing Pietro, she was certain he would keep a firm hold on her to keep her from drifting away again. Only this time, she would listen to him and follow his whim. Like all the others, she had no choice.

As Pietro and Rahne helped Wanda up and guide her back to the group, Mystique and Rogue did the same with Kurt. When they rejoined they saw many of the pawns looking over the mutant infants Selene planned to heartlessly sacrifice. These infants, as innocent and unassuming as they seemed, had been the key to their success. Without them, they never would have found Selene. And ironically enough, they had Sinister to thank for that. Many were in a state of shock as they looked at the sleeping infants. These were children they weren't even aware they had.

Looking over the sleeping children were Sam, Bobby, Jubilee, and Moria. It was still very surreal for them, finding out they had fostered children without even knowing it. They couldn't undo what Sinister did and even though he and Selene were defeated, their fate was unknown.

"Wow…so these are our kids," said Sam as he looked over one of the infants with blonde hair that he assumed was his.

"Ugh, don't say that. I'm too young to start thinking of myself as a mother," said Jubilee.

"Well technically, we didn't have these kids. Sinister grew them," said Bobby as he looked over each child.

"So what's going to happen to them?" she asked.

"Well we ain't gonna sacrifice them like Selene wanted to, that's for sure," said Sam, "We'll find some way to fit them into our world. Right Lady MacTaggart?"

Moria smiled as she found herself picking up one of the children. Having suffered through the pain of a miscarriage and the triumph of raising a successful foster daughter in Rahne, she had a strong appreciation for being a parent. And this was just another unexpected occurrence that they could turn into an opportunity.

"Oh I'm sure we can be finding something for these little bundles. They are after all in the Hellfire bloodline now. That just means we have a new generation to build off of. And every strong organization needs a solid foundation for the future."

It sounded promising, despite the lingering bewilderment they felt for being young parents. But Moria was right. Now that Selene and her minions were defeated, the Hellfire Club had to rebuild. Having these young infants here at the very beginning, they had something they could nurture into the future. And it was a future sure to be dominated by the Hellfire Club.

Not far from the children, Xavier stood over the weak and unmoving body of Selene. Next to him were Scott, Warpath, Logan, Julian, Laura, Remy, Ororo, Danielle, Deadpool, and Emma. They too were fixated on the surreal sight of their former Black Queen lying defeated on the floor, looking so weak and frail. For so long they knew her only as the unstoppable, devious woman who was capable of inflicting so much suffering. But that woman was defeated and the price she paid for her defeat was great.

"Damn, she almost looks cute all curled up and weak like that. You almost want to pet her like a dog! But then I'd be demeaning dogs," said Deadpool.

"I never thought I'd say this to a comment from you, Deadpool, but that's an understatement," said Ororo, "Is she truly without free will and desire, Charles? Is there any trace of the monster within her left?"

Xavier did a brief scan of her mind. Usually, her shields were all but unbreakable. But there were no such defenses for her anymore. Mephisto robbed her of everything that made her so powerful.

"The monster is officially dead," affirmed Xavier, "Her mind is as weak and vulnerable as a sick dog."

"Does that mean we can train her like a dog?" grinned Logan.

"Even dogs have some capacity to reason. She does not," said the Black King, "The only thing Mephisto left her is the ability to feel sorrow, pain, and humiliation."

"Well she'll be getting plenty of that with us," said Warpath, "But is she still immortal?"

"It would appear so, but that's just Mephisto's way of making her more enjoyable to us as we begin to punish her," said Xavier as he knelt down and gripped Selene's tired face, "And she'll need to be immortal if she's to live long enough to answer for her crimes. She's going to have to endure a lot of punishment and pain in accordance to Hellfire bylaws. Her minions will be part of it. But she'll always get the worst."

"Fine by me," shrugged Julian callously, "Nobody could be more deserving."

"Indeed," agreed Ororo.

The young Hellfire Pawns watched as Xavier firmly clutched the face of the defeated woman. It was so satisfying to see such a defeated look on her face. They all looked forward to punishing this woman in their own way. She had caused so much pain and suffering, not just to her victims but to all of them. Even as an immortal sorceress with so much power at her disposal, she could not escape the justice of the Hellfire Club.

The only one with reservations was Emma Frost, who had unknowingly helped this woman commit her crimes. She knew she was not going to escape punishment herself. She had done much to try and make up for it, but that didn't change the fact that she committed a crime against the Hellfire Club and she was going to have to pay for it. But the Hellfire Club itself was in a precarious state. She, like all the others, understood that Selene did a lot of damage to their organization. Rebuilding it was going to be a challenge, but with her out of the way the possibilities were endless.

"So what's going to happen now, Lord Xavier?" asked Emma, "With Selene defeated, what's next for the Hellfire Club?"

Xavier smiled and rose up, the poise and determination of the Black King more apparent than ever. Many years ago he entered the Hellfire Club with aspirations of using its power to create a new order. And in many ways he had, but that order could only go so far with the old traditions of the Hellfire Club holding him back. He worked long and hard to rid himself of the previous Inner Circle and now that Selene was defeated the last barrier that was holding him back was gone. Now the Hellfire Club had a blank slate and as the Black King he had every intention of taking their rule to the next level.

"For many years now I've spent too much time merely protecting my power from the likes of Selene and the Hand," said Xavier, "But now that she and her minions are defeated, there is nothing to stand in my way. At long last, we can expand the Hellfire Club to new horizons. I can fulfill my dream of creating a new and powerful order that will defeat chaos and reign supreme over this bloody and barbaric world."

He then turned to his pawns and smiled with pride. Xavier may be a man who valued power, but he was also a man who valued his allies as well. And whatever order may come from this, his loyal pawns were going to be a part of it.

"And you, my faithful pawns, shall be a part of this new order. You have all given yourselves completely to this glorious organization. Now you will get your ultimate reward. Together we will forge a new Inner Circle, one that will overcome the limitations of the previous order and wield power the likes of which few have ever wielded before. We have everything we need now. The rule of ignorance and chaos has officially come to an end. From this day forward, Hellfire shall reign eternally!"

* * *

**Up next: The aftermath of Selene's betrayal ensues and the Hellfire Club begins to rebuild.**

**AN: The final battle is over. The dust is ready to settle. The end is within reach. Please take the time to review as the end of the slickboy444 era draws near. Send it to me via email or post it on the fanfiction website. Thank you very much for reading thus far. I hope you all like how it all ends.  
**


	20. New World Order

**New Blood  
Chapter 20: New World Order**

* * *

**X-Industrial – Jean Grey**

The days following Selene's defeat were a blur for many, but they were marked with plenty of eventful changes. Upon defeating her and her minions, they destroyed the Temple of Orcus and helped Amara Aquilla return to the throne of Nova Roma. She was still dazed and traumatized from what happened to her, but witnessing Selene's defeat gave her a new resolve and she pledged Nova Roma's allegiance to the Hellfire Club from that day forward. And they were going to need it.

When they returned to New York, they returned to a chaotic situation. The Manor was destroyed and there was still a lot of snooping around on the part of SHIELD and the Avengers. But close allies like Norman Osborn and agents like Forge and Jamie Madrox were able to keep them at bay until Xavier returned. Once he did, he immediately took charge and cleared the scene of any incriminating evidence and began the long arduous process of rebuilding.

For now, the Hellfire Club was going to be run out of the main building at X-Industrial. There Forge was already hard at work getting Cerebrum back online. He and Moria were also working on upgrades to ensure that this system would be more powerful than any before it and it would allow Xavier to exert control to the furthest extent possible. While they were working on it, Xavier and his loyal followers began the tedious process of re-establishing their network. With Selene's betrayal, many of their allies and rivals broke off and tried to seize power for themselves. Luckily, it was so chaotic none of them could really succeed. And Xavier planned on purging all those who were foolish enough to think that he and the Hellfire Club would just fade away. It was sure to bloody and messy, but it was necessary to re-establish order.

Jean Grey was certain to be part of it. With Selene officially de-powered, she was now the Hellfire Club's supreme mystic. She had proven with her Phoenix powers that she could wield magic on a grand scale and stand against anyone who threatened the Inner Circle with mystical force. It was a role she looked forward to taking. Now she would be the one leading the rituals, battling malevolent forces, and wielding great power. Not only that, she would have an apprentice to tutor in Illyana Rasputin, a role she greatly looked forward to. With this new power and Scott by her side helping her, she was poised to become a powerful force in the Inner Circle.

But even though she was optimistic about her new role, there were still some unresolved issues. During the battle, mystical forces all over the world had been disrupted as a result of Selene's ritual. It was part of why Illyana fell so ill for a time. Sorcerers like Dr. Strange and Baron Mordu all reported signs of great disturbances in their powers. But Jean had not. She was unaffected. It didn't make sense until she eventually surmised why.

As she dwelled on this matter she was in her room, casually gazing out the window of her temporary quarters. She then sensed a familiar presence and found herself smiling even more.

"I had a feeling you'd show up sooner or later," she said.

"Aww, you ruined the surprise," said the deep voice of Enchantress as she emerged from the shadows.

Jean turned around to face her teacher and mentor. She hadn't seen her since this whole mess began, but she owed this woman a lot. She was the one who taught her about magic and she was the one that helped her realize the power of the Phoenix.

"It was you, wasn't it?" said Jean, "You're the reason why my powers weren't affected by Selene's ritual."

"I may have thrown a few protection spells around," she said with her usual vanity, "I simply couldn't allow my pupil to be hindered by Selene's meddling."

"But that's not the only reason, is it?" grinned Jean.

"Well I also wanted you to be fit to take on Selene when the chance arose. I can't tell you how satisfying it was to see her suffer like that."

"I'm sure it was. What about the Phoenix? Did you help with that?"

"Oh no, my dear pupil. That was all you," said Enchantress with great pride, "You're the one who finally realized your true power. And as such, you do not need any further lessons from me. From here on out, you must develop your power on your own."

"You think I'm ready for it?"

"Jean, you went head to head against Selene and took her down. I'd say you're plenty ready," said Enchantress with an approving grin.

Jean smiled back, approaching her mentor and bowing respectfully. She was lucky to get such training from a real Asgardian goddess. She may not be the friendliest person in the world or the most charming, but she still had a special relationship with this woman. And she would need everything she learned from her to shape her emerging future.

"So I guess that means no more lessons?" said Jean with a touch of sadness.

"Asgard is in quite a bit of disarray as a result of Selene's stunt. Odin has required every god of Asgard to contribute in rebuilding it. And of course he'll need me. But I'm not worried about the affairs of Midgard. I'm sure you and your comrades will manage it well."

"You can be sure of that," said Jean confidently, "So I guess this is goodbye?"

Enchantress placed an affectionate hand on her pupil's shoulder. She didn't usually care much for mortals, but Jean Grey was special. She had proven herself worthy of the approval of a goddess.

"For now, at least," she said, "I'll check in on you and your new pupil from time to time. Just remember that the power you wield is vast. It's every bit as vast as the power Selene wielded so you must be careful. It's not enough to just wield it. You must wield it wisely. Do so with strength and confidence and it'll serve you well in this life and the one to come."

"I will, Enchantress," vowed Jean, "You have my word."

"Good girl," grinned the Asgardian goddess, "Please send my regards to Charles and good luck with your new order. Now if you'll excuse me, I must grace Asgard with my presence once more."

With one final gesture, Enchantress cast a spell that transported her back to her home. A glowing ball of yellow light consumed her and Jean watched and waved goodbye as she disappeared. It was somewhat sad that she wouldn't get a chance to see her teacher as much anymore. There was still so much she wanted to learn. But Enchantress had always been strict about having her gain knowledge on her own. It wasn't the most compassionate way to teach, but it did her well. Now Jean Grey was going to have to expand her powers on her own. But with the lessons she learned under the Asgardian goddess, she was confident she could make her proud and do her part as wielder of the Phoenix.

Jean felt a new sense of confidence in herself now that this matter was resolved. She still had other issues to work out. Most notably, the issue with Emma Frost still lingered. Xavier promised she would be a part of the process that dealt with her transgressions. But she urged her to be reasonable since Emma did show remorse and did make an effort to help them. That wasn't going to be easy when that woman tried to steal her lover, but she understood the need for understanding. After all, she wanted to avoid becoming like Selene.

* * *

**X-Industrial – Holding Cells**

Family affairs in the Hellfire Club had always been tricky. In an organization where traditionally anybody's power base was unstable, maintaining family bonds had always been a challenge. Scott and Pietro had experienced first hand just how challenging it was. They both got their families involved in this organization. And they both experienced them betraying them and joining Selene. For Alex it was voluntary. For Lorna it was involuntary. It created quite a mess between them and now that Selene was defeated, they were left to pick up all the pieces.

At the moment Scott and Pietro were with Lorna and Alex in a holding cell. Lorna, having been controlled by Selene through a love spell, was given leniency for her misdeeds. She was expected to regain her full role. Alex, however, wouldn't be so lucky. As someone who fell deeply into Selene's grasp, he suffered Mephisto's punishment. His free will had been taken away and so was much of his personality. Now his existence was one big daze. His expression was always blank and he only spoke when someone told him to. For Scott it gave him mixed feelings. Lorna had them as well. Right now she was sitting next to him, holding his hand and contemplating where they would go from here.

"Damn you, Alex. Why did you have to do it?" said Scott as he looked into the dazed eyes of his younger brother, "Why did you have to give in?"

"I don't think he'll be able to answer that anytime soon," said Pietro, "I've already asked Wanda the same question a hundred times. I guess we'll never know."

"I guess so," sighed Scott, "But I can't help but think I could have done something different. Alex and I were always at each others' throats. Maybe I pushed him away too much. Maybe I wasn't understanding or reasonable enough."

"Or maybe they were just destined for darkness," said Pietro, "I don't think it would have made much of a difference. Wanda, like my father, just had a tendency to walk the wrong paths. Sometimes you just can't avoid it."

"I know, but still…"

Scott continued to wonder. Ever since their parents died, he took it upon himself to look after Alex. But too many forces were working against them. Alex ended up getting adopted while he joined the Hellfire Club. And Alex had always had a very loose and uncoordinated personality. It almost seemed inevitable that it would lead him to this.

Lorna, however, didn't walk that path. She was tempted by Selene just as he was, but she resisted. She was able to resist the darkness. And she would be rewarded for it. She kept her free will, her powers, and her role. But for all the pain Alex ended up causing her, she still remembered the special bond they shared.

"So what's going to happen to him?" asked Lorna.

"I don't know yet. That's up to Lord Xavier to decide," said Scott, "But brother or no brother, he will be punished."

"I know. I'm not saying he shouldn't. But I still hope we can hold onto some of those feelings we had before Selene came in."

"Why would you want that, Lorna?" said Pietro with a look of surprise, "It was all a spell, remember? Selene just used a love spell on you so you would be her minion."

"Spell or no spell, the feelings I had for Alex were still there," said Lorna as she affectionately caressed his face, "And as crazy as it may seem, they still are. Alex and I shared a lot of good times together. And even though he's a different person now, I don't want to lose that."

"But he was irrational, stubborn, and just plain annoying at times!" argued Pietro, "How can you care for him?"

Lorna just laughed as she turned towards Pietro with a coy grin.

"The same way I can care for you, I guess. It's just one of those things you can't explain, but you know in your heart."

Pietro mumbled a curse under his breath and rubbed the back of his neck sheepishly. Scott couldn't help but chuckle a bit as well. But she had a point. There were just some feelings that can't be ignored. He had those feelings for Jean and he had similar feelings for his brother. For all the bitterness and resentment that plagued their relationship, he still loved his brother as any brother should. Looking down at his blank expression, he place a hand on his shoulder and then turned to Lorna.

"We'll still take care of him. That you can be sure of," said Scott, "Lord Xavier is too reasonable to ignore these things."

"I hope so," said Lorna as she stayed close to Alex, "But at least now he'll be easier to deal with."

"That's for sure," said Scott with a smile, "And I'm sure you'll be able to keep him company when I can't. I know I can't apologize for my brother's deeds or his faults. But I'm glad he has someone like you to watch over him."

"Thanks Scott," smiled Lorna, "I promise I'll do as much for him as I can. And Pietro will help, right?"

Pietro groaned again, but Lorna gave him that wanting look that always seemed to have an effect on him. He could never seem to escape it because he had too much a soft spot for her.

"Fine," he sighed, "But I don't have to like it. And I still get to punch him every now and then!"

"Can't say I would expect anything less from you, Pietro," said Scott as he gave him a friendly punch on the shoulder.

Taking one last look at his brother, Scott sighed to himself and prepared to make his leave. He was confident that Alex would be in good hands with Lorna and Pietro wouldn't go too far so long as Lorna kept him in line. Pietro may not understand what it meant to have feelings for someone despite all the hardships between them, but he did. And it was something he still had to deal with concerning the situation between Jean and Emma.

"Where are you going?" asked Lorna as she watched Scott walk off.

"I have something else to take care of," said Scott, "Thanks again, Lorna. My brother will never appreciate how lucky he is to have someone like you."

Lorna smiled and waved goodbye. Pietro did as well, but he remained somewhat bitter. He still didn't like Alex and seeing Lorna holding his hand with such affection was tough to watch. At least now Alex wouldn't give him an attitude anymore. And he had no intention of criticizing Lorna for it either. He made so many mistakes with Wanda and his father. He swore to himself he wouldn't make those mistakes with Lorna and now that she was okay and by his side, he was confident in their future as a family.

"Are you always going to give me that look?" said Lorna with a smirk.

"I'm your brother, Lorna. I'll always be giving you looks," said Pietro in a more serious tone, "Just know that I've lost a lot through all this. Our father's dead and Wanda is facing the same fate as Alex."

"Yes, I haven't forgotten," said Lorna, matching his tone, "What are we going to do for them? I do think we should at least bury our father."

"We will," said Pietro, placing a hand on her shoulder, "But whatever happens between us or others just know that we'll always be a family. And I don't want to lose you like I did everybody else in my life."

"Don't worry. You never will," assured Lorna.

The two half-siblings shared a warm smile. It was amazing to think that not long ago they didn't even know each other. Now they were as much a family as any other. The Hellfire Club would give them many opportunities to grow and bond. There would be many other opportunities for them to grow apart as well. But having made so many mistakes before, Pietro and Lorna were confident they could make the right decisions from now on. They lost much of their family, but they weren't going to lose each other.

* * *

**Outside Holding Cells**

Emma Frost had a lot of time to think since this mess with Selene was resolved. Because of the role she played in aiding Selene's betrayal, she was going to be reprimanded like the others. It wouldn't be as severe or as permanent, but she would be punished. She already spared herself some of the damage. She kept her free will and spirit. She wasn't being kept in a holding cell, but until her punishment was given she was prohibited from leaving X-Industrial. She couldn't go shopping, work the clubs, or anything of the sort. But it wasn't her pending punishment that had her worried.

Not that it was over she had time to reflect on what led her to this predicament. It all started with Scott and the plan she had to make him fall in love with her. The plan failed and she was left heartbroken and enraged. And in her rage she was willing to help Selene in order to get back. But the price of such vengeance ended up being too high. She still harbored resentment towards Scott and Jean for making her live through the pain of heartbreak again. But bitterness aside, a part of her still felt for Scott. And she didn't want to go back to being cold, angry, and lonely.

She found herself walking aimlessly throughout the X-Industrial building, just letting her thoughts wander. She eventually found herself walking around the secure area just outside the holding cells. It was one of the quietest areas in the building at the moment. Then while she was casually pacing back and forth around the main entrance, the door opened and Scott and Jean stepped through. When she saw them she froze. They each bore a look of bitterness upon seeing her, but there was no burning anger or pure hatred. They just looked eager to confront her.

"We need to talk, Emma," said Scott in a serous tone.

"Nice to see you too, darling," muttered the blonde telepath, "I had a feeling this would come up."

"Are you going to be snide about it or are you going to listen?" said Jean, showing more bitterness than her lover, "Because you'll just be making it harder on yourself."

"Believe me, Jean, there's nothing you could say or do to me to make this any worse," said Emma, "If you want to talk about this, let's just talk."

Jean held back her anger. Scott stayed close to her, trying to keep her calm since she was a lot more worked up about this than he was. She had no former friendship with the attractive blonde and she never got a chance to call her out for what she did. But she promised Scott she would try to be reasonable so they could move on from this.

"You tried to steal my lover," Jean started off, approaching Emma with an apprehensive look, "You tried to warp his mind to your will just like Selene warped the minds of so many others to hers."

"I know. You don't have to remind me," muttered Emma, her face hardened despite Jean's gaze, "I hate myself enough for it."

"Then why did you do it? Why did you have to stoop so low? If you thought for more than two seconds about this you would have known you were helping Selene! Why couldn't you have just left it alone?!"

"Jean…" said Scott, putting a hand on her shoulder to calm her down.

Her words were harsh, but Emma's hardened expression didn't wane. And she wasn't going to hide from the truth.

"Because seeing you with Scott disgusted me," she said bluntly, "I sat by for years and watched you two grow so close. And in that same time I started spending time with Scott as well, opening up to him just as you once told me to. I didn't expect it to happen. I didn't even want it to happen. But it did. I fell in love with you, Scott. Say what you will about me, but that part of it was always true. And in some ways it still is."

Jean's expression contorted with anger again. But she managed to calm herself down. As much as she resented Emma, she knew she was telling the truth about her feelings for Scott. She knew those feelings well and she knew how strong they were. With that in mind, her actions seemed somewhat more understandable. But they still weren't forgivable.

"That doesn't make what you did any less damning," said Jean.

"And it doesn't gain you any sympathy either," added Scott, "But Jean and I have talked about this. We do understand how strong these feelings are and what they can drive you to."

Scott then stepped forward, looking at Emma with a mix of understanding and anger. He hated what she did, but he didn't forget that at one point he did see her as a friend.

"I understand you were heartbroken after I stopped you," said Scott, "I don't blame you for wanting to get even because that's who you are, Emma. You're a predator who does not take things lying down. But you went too far when you helped Selene."

"I know," she said, her hardened expression waning under his gaze.

"Jean and I were tortured, raped, and brutalized," Scott went on, "We suffered in ways that defy description. So if you wanted us to suffer for your personal pain, you succeeded. But you went beyond simple vengeance. You didn't just hurt and betray us. You hurt and betrayed everybody. And we to know that you feel remorse."

Emma shifted uncomfortably. She had done a lot of bad things in her life and there were very few instances where she felt any remorse for them. Scott was right about her being a predator. It was part of who she was. But she was not without her limits. She could still feel guilt for something she truly regretted. And for first time in a long while, a look of sorrow fell upon her.

"I do feel remorse," she said, "You know I do. If I haven't made that clear since this mess began how can I? I've had my heart broken before and it left me very messed up to say the least. I know that isn't an excuse. But for what I've done to you and Jean, at least understand that I really am sorry. And I'm ready to accept whatever punishment comes my way."

Jean was almost taken aback when she heard the word "sorry" come from the mouth of Emma Frost. She was inclined to scoff, but she could sense how serious she was. While she digested that, Scott continued.

"Emma, we spent four years as friends," he said, "And for everything we've been through, I don't want to forget that. I don't want to lose it either. But you have to accept that I love Jean. I can never love you the way I love her."

"I know. You've made that abundantly clear before," said Emma in a bitter tone.

"But I need you to understand that now. And I need to know you can move on from it. I can still be your friend. But I can't be your lover and I can't forget about what you did. Can you at least promise me that?"

Emma looked at Jean and then at Scott. As much anger as she had inside, she still couldn't forget what she once had with him. And she didn't want to lose it either.

"I can't promise you I'll just forget what I felt about you. But I can promise I will get through it eventually. Just don't expect me to do it with a smile."

"I never would," said Scott, managing a slight smile, "But while we're working through this, you will have to face the consequences to your actions. We can't change that, but Jean and I did talk to Lord Xavier. And we may have a way to make it more appropriate and reasonable for each of us."

"How would it be any better than anything the others will get?" she said skeptically.

"Just hear us out," said Jean in a slightly annoyed tone, "Trust me, if I had my way you would suffer more. But seeing as how you really didn't intend to help Selene and you did apologize, we can still be reasonable."

Emma wasn't sure how to react. A punishment from the Hellfire Club was bound to be harsh by any measure, but if Jean was willing to look past her anger it was worth hearing out.

"It goes like this…" said Scott, "You're going to have to work under everybody from now on. You'll be taking on more menial duties that you may not find glamorous, but they'll still be worlds apart from what others will endure. Your power and influence with the Inner Circle will be severely restricted. But unlike the others, you'll still be able to enjoy some of the Hellfire Club's luxuries."

"I expected as such, but somehow I know there's more," said Emma.

"There is," said Scott, "Since you hurt us the most, Lord Xavier has tasked us with being your primary superiors. That means you won't be reporting to him or anyone else anymore. You'll be reporting to us."

"And that means doing whatever we say," said Jean, emphasizing that point.

Emma cringed somewhat at the notion of Jean dictating her roles. But Scott gave her a reassuring look to let her know they were not going to share in Selene's cruelty. They were going to punish her, but within reason.

"Is that all?" she asked.

"There is one other thing," said Scott, his expression shifting somewhat, "Remember how you went to such lengths to 'repay' me that night this all started? How you put on such an elaborate sexual escapade for me that was so nice until you pulled that stunt with the paralysis disk?"

"Yes…I remember," said Emma with a mix of bitterness and curiosity.

"Well while you're serving your punishment, plan on making similar 'repayments' regularly to both me and Jean. I know you're not shy about using her sexuality. So prepare to use it even more for us."

Emma shifted a bit. The idea of her having to repay some of her debt with sex wasn't too bad to her. She did enjoy that little 'repayment' she did for Scott before it all went bad. It seemed appropriate that she would have to do it again.

"I'm sure I can manage that," she said with a half smile, "But I assume it won't just be you. How will I repay Jean that way? I'm sure I'll have change it up so to speak."

"Oh don't worry about that. I assure you I have a few rituals in mind that may help with that," said Jean with a mischievous grin, "And over time if we're satisfied with your duties, you will get a chance to work your way up again. You just have to be willing to accept this as a debt you have to repay, not to us but to the Hellfire Club as a whole."

It wasn't the worst punishment she could have had. There were so many other terrible things they could have inflicted on her. But as harsh as it sounded having to work at the bottom of the power base for a while and follow the whims of Scott and Jean, it was still bearable. Jean may make it rough on her, but at least Scott would be there to keep her from going too overboard. He wouldn't be easy on her either, but at least he was willing to look past the anger and bitterness to salvage what they once had.

"If that's how it has to be…so be it," sighed Emma, "But don't think for a second I'll be any less predatory in the end."

"I know," said Scott with a grin, "You're still Emma Frost. Neither of us wants to change that. We just want to do what has to be done."

"Don't we all?" she said, managing a smile as well, "But if I'm going to endure this and work on getting past old feelings, can I at least expect the two of you to do the same?"

Now it was Jean's turn to smile. As much as she hated Emma for what she did, she was not without understanding. There was no undoing the past so the best they could do was build towards a better future. She and Emma may never be friends in the long run, but they could at least learn to tolerate one another.

"You have my word, Emma," said Jean, "I promise if you do your part then I'll do mine. Just don't try any more stunts on our love."

"Fair enough," she sighed, "That still doesn't mean I have to like it though."

"We're not expecting you to," said Scott, "We're just expecting you to do what you do best and tough it out."

That earned one last smile from Emma Frost. As hard as this had been on all of them, it was nice to finally work it out. There was still sure to be bitterness. Emma would always remember those feelings she had for Scott and Scott and Jean were going to remember what she did to them in her heartbroken rage. But this was something they were all going to have to put behind them. Emma Frost had helped them enough in the fight against Selene to keep herself in the Inner Circle. They may never be able to completely work through the bitterness, but at least they could come to an understanding.

* * *

**X-Industrial Infirmary – Laura**

The battle against Selene had been arduous both physically and mentally for Laura Kinney. For a brief time she reverted back to being what her creators trained her to be. She became a soulless, mindless, obedient killer. And she followed the whims of Selene of all people. That more than anything sickened her. She had only vague memories of what happened. She remembered fighting the others and she remembered Sabretooth raping her while she was under control. Those were sure to be nightmares that she was going to have to contend with, but she had pulled herself together from this before. She could do it again.

In the infirmary, Forge and a number of Hellfire doctors gave her a thorough checkup to make sure the trigger scent was completely out of her system and that she was stable enough to return to her active role. Since Selene had taken control of her against her will, Lord Xavier was willing to show leniency. She was still going to have to work her way up, but she didn't mind so long as she had her free will and sanity back. She swore to her mother before she died that she would never let herself be controlled again and she had every intention of keeping that promise.

During the checkup, Logan and Julian stayed with her. They gave her encouragement and kept her company through the whole ordeal, knowing how much she hated infirmaries and doctors. Once Forge gave the green light and declared her healthy and ready, he and the other doctors cleared out. She was told to rest for a bit to regain her strength. But exhaustion was the last thing on her mind right now. Her focus remained on Julian and Logan.

"Looks like you get a clean bill of health, Laura," said Logan as he sat near her bedside, "You're gonna be okay."

"Yes…I guess that's good news," she said distantly, "But what that woman did to me…I don't think I'll be forgetting it anytime soon."

"Can't say I blame you," said Logan, offering her a comforting gesture, "But we'll all be dealing with shit like that. Selene worked everyone over good. I know she took it a step further with you, but we'll work through it. You got a lot going for you and just remember I'm always here if you need help."

Laura managed a slight smile at his gesture. Logan wasn't much for affection, but he did care for those close to him and with his help she was confident she could get through this and become stronger.

"Thank you, Logan," she said, "I know things between us have never been easy, but I'm glad you found me. And I can't thank you enough for giving me this chance at a new life."

"Don't mention it," he said with his wolfish grin, "You're my blood. That makes you family. And I made you a promise, remember? I told you I'd get you away from a life of running from the past. This is just me keeping that promise."

"And I'm making you one as well," she said strongly, "I promise I'll be strong for you and the Hellfire Club. And I'll never let anyone control me again. If they try, I'll make them suffer."

"That's my girl," said Logan proudly.

The two shared another smile. Logan and Laura had come a long way since he found her in Tijuana. They both had dark pasts and struggled with anger and bitterness. But they came together and helped one another. They really were like a family in a strange way. They were anything but normal, but that didn't bother them in the slightest.

With one final gesture Logan got up to let Laura rest. He had other matters to work out as well and he trusted Laura would be okay. His eyes then fell on Julian, who had been sitting in a chair next to her bed the whole time. He had a feeling he and Laura would be getting a lot closer soon. But he still made sure Julian understood that Laura was important to him. He cast him a look of warning to remind him that if he ever hurt her, he would have to deal with him.

"Rest up, kid," said Logan, "I'll see ya around."

"Thanks Logan," said Laura as she settled into the bed, "But for the last time don't call me kid!"

"Just checkin' to make sure you still got the spirit," he grinned, "Guess this means you do. Just don't expect me to stop reminding you anytime soon."

Despite Laura's annoyed tone, Logan kept grinning as he made his way towards the door. Along the way he looked at Julian again and nodded. Then just as he left he closed the door and sealed it so they would have some privacy. Julian got the message and wasn't about to pass up an opportunity given to him by Wolverine.

Julian Keller had come a long way from being the rebellious, cynical, sometimes deviant young man who once worked a boring job at X-Industrial. He came into the Hellfire Club looking to do more and make his place. He expected to learn a lot of things and become more than his parents ever could have hoped for. But he never expected to come across someone like Laura. He connected with her in a way he never expected. And after what happened in the fight against Selene where he had to go into her mind and save her, he could no longer avoid the truth. Laura was so different from any other girl he knew. And now that they would be rebuilding, it couldn't hurt to take it to the next level.

Getting up from his chair, Julian sat down next to her on the bed. Laura found herself rising up as well, looking him in the eye with that powerful gaze that always had such an effect on him. Only this time his gaze was affecting her as well. She knew she owed this boy her life for what he did. Now it left them at an interesting impasse.

"So…" said Julian, already feeling awkward.

"So…" repeated Laura, "I guess I should thank you too. You really came through for me, helping me regain my memories and get control of myself again."

"Ah it was nothing," smirked Julian, "But uh…there's been something else on my mind since this all went down. I think we both know what it is and we should confront it."

Laura was silent. She did know what he was referring to. Before all this happened they had been getting closer and more intimate. She started feeling things for him that she didn't expect and he seemed to return those feelings. They never had a chance to come together and work them out. Now after everything that had happened, it seemed an appropriate time to do so.

"I…I'm not sure how," said Laura, looking away distantly, "You know I've never been good with emotions. There are still some that I'm trying to make sense of."

Julian smiled and moved in closer, taking her hand in hers.

"That's just it. I don't think you can make sense of feelings like these. They really are beyond rationalizing and understanding. I know that may sound kind of sappy, but it's true."

"So if we can't understand them, what do we do?" asked Laura, now looking Julian desperately in the eye.

Julian paused for a moment. So much of the connection they shared grew off from unexpected, sometimes unusual moments that just happened without warning. It was Laura who so started them down this road with her bluntness. Keeping with that spirit, Julian took a deep breath and just came out and said it.

"We can start by just admitting it," he said, "Here, I'll go first. Laura Kinney…I'm in love with you. And uh…I think you feel the same way."

Laura froze for a moment as she processed that. Her gaze never left his. Julian's hands were literally shaking as he tried to keep himself together with this. But Laura found herself holding them closer as her expression shifted.

"That was too awkward wasn't it?" he said anxiously.

"No…not at all," she said with a reassuring gesture, "I just…the only love I ever knew was the love my mother had for me. And since I met you I've discovered a different kind of love. I…I can't explain it. I don't understand where it came from. But I know it's there. And I guess…I guess I do feel the same way."

Julian let out a sigh of relief.

"Wow…I don't know what else to say," he said.

"You don't have to say anything, Julian," said Laura with a warm smile, "You were there for me and you helped save me. For someone who has done so many horrible things, I couldn't have asked for someone better to share this feeling with."

Then in her usual blunt manner, she pulled Julian into a passionate kiss. It was unexpected, but Julian had become used to that with her and quickly found himself embracing it. Everything seemed to come together. Julian slipped his arms around her and embraced her closely while she snaked her arms around his neck and embraced back. It gave them both a warm feeling inside, one they had never felt with anyone else. They soon found themselves lost in it, immersed in passion as their lips wrestled and touched. It was a fitting way to come together and start something new for the future.

When they finally parted, they remained in an embrace. Laura kept staring passionately into the eyes of the young man before her and Julian kept smiling. They were both overwhelmed by this feeling, but there was still so much more they wanted to get out.

"You never cease to amaze me, Laura," said Julian warmly.

"And you never cease to look so cute when your surprised," quipped Laura.

"What can I say? I like surprises," he shrugged, "So what now? Where do we go from here?"

Laura's smiled widened. Then Julian felt her pull her in closer in a very sensual manner.

"Let's make love right here in this bed," she said, "That seems appropriate."

That same surprised look that Laura thought was so cute returned to Julian's face.

"You mean it? I mean, not that I don't want to, but after everything we just went through?" he said awkwardly.

"Yes, I mean it," said Laura bluntly, "If we're going to be together shouldn't we start making love? I may be tired, but I'm not too tired for this."

Julian shook his head in amazement. This girl was beyond belief. No wonder he fell so hard for her. Only someone like Laura could go through something like this and still have the strength to make love afterwards.

"Can't argue with that logic," he shrugged.

"Good, then stop talking and start kissing me."

"Yes ma'am!"

Julian did as she said and they came together in another kiss. This time it was more passionate. Their lips meshed seamlessly and their tongues started twirling together. Their hands began roaming over one another's bodies, exchanging in deep affectionate touching. They sank into each other's embrace, enjoying the warm feeling of their bodies. It was far deeper than anything they had done before and built up a powerful arousal between them.

As they kissed, they removed each others' clothes. The arousal quickly built between them, driving them to thoroughly fondle one another's naked flesh and further stir their desires. Gentle fondling quickly turned into fervent desire as they laid down on the bed, still wrapped in a heated embrace. The kissing and fondling intensified. As usual, Laura took lead with her feral tendancies. She hungrily kissed down her lover's body, traling along and giving him a nice round of oral sex to get him going. This evoked deep gasps from Julian that echoed all throughout the infirmary. After some thorough teasing, Laura returned to his embrace. Already, this felt like more than just sex. There were so many other feelings involved and they wanted to embrace every one of them. Every kiss and touch was full of feeling. And as was customary for them they were very blunt in every intent. It wasn't fancy or elaborate. It was just raw passion.

Following this feeling further, they positioned their bodies for the next step. While still locked in an embrace, Laura got on top of Julian. Then in their heated state, they began making love. Clinging to each other passionately, Laura and Julian moved their bodies in a nice heated rhythm. It wasn't as vigorous or rough as usual, but it was every bit as intense. Through the powerful rhythm they kept kissing and touching, letting their feelings for one another guide them through this intimate act. They kept the pace steady. It was a different kind of feeling, one that Laura had to slow herself down with sometimes. But they kept it going, their naked bodies meshing in a blissful heat.

The bed rocked as passioante moans filled the infirmary. Their naked bodies moved gracefully yet fervently with one another. Time quickly lost meaning as Laura and Julian savored this feeling. They worked it nice and hard, drawing it out as long as they could. They rolled around in the bed, shifting their pace at times and sharing many tender gestures along the way. They kept going at it until they could no longer hold back. Laura could feel hers building up and so could Julian. They held each other firmly, feeling the light sweat that had built up on their skin. Their moans intensified as they kept getting closer. Laura got back on top and led the pace to their euphoria. To Julian she looked so beautiful, as if she was dancing on top of him. Then her climax hit.

Laura closed her eyes and arched her body as waves of orgasmic bliss consumed her. It was mind-numbingly good, filling the young lovers with waves of pleasure. The sensations fueled the feelings, making them feel much more intimate than the usual sex they had. Logan once told her having sex and making love were very different. Now she knew first hand just how different it was. After a few more motions, Julian felt it as well. He let out a sharp grunt as he clung to Laura's naked body. It was the kind of exhilerating, exciting sensations he so often craved. It was part of why he joined the Hellfire Club and Laura just gave him all the more reason.

When the sensations passed Julian rose up and took Laura back in his arms. There they shared another passionate kiss. They were still reeling from the feeling and for a moment they just held one another and stared back in a passionate daze.

"I love you, Laura," said Julian breathlessly.

"I love you too, Julian."

Smiling warmly, they resumed their kissing. It was a blunt, fitting way to sum up everything that had happened with them and how they came together. They didn't need any other words. Laura and Julian knew how they felt about one another. They could take care of everything else with gestures.

Still burning with passion, Laura and Julian kept making love, pushing their limits until they were too exhausted to go on. For the final climax together, Julian and Laura went at it much slower this time to savor every last feeling. They kept kissing and touching, the warm sensations fueling their emotions. They held on until the last blissful orgasm consumed them. This time they had it together, clinging to each other as the waves of pleasure surged through them. And when the final feeling passed they just held each other and smiled, sharing one last kiss before they rolled off one another and gave into exhaustion.

The circumstance of their love was anything but normal. The lives they lived were far from normal too. They were ruthless operatives of the Hellfire Club yet they still had this capacity for true intimacy. They didn't expect to come together like this. They were from two very different worlds. Laura was a former living weapon. Julian was a rebellious son of a couple of billionaires. Yet they still found something special together. There was a certain connection and closeness. And they continued their work with the Hellfire Club, helping it rebuild for the future, it was sure to blossom.

* * *

**X-Industrial – Secondary Cells**

Mystique knew she was no mother of the year. She also knew she was no role model. She had many character flaws and personal issues that affected anybody she got close to. But she still had a genuine love for her children and wanted only what was best for them. That was why she brought them into the Hellfire Club in the first place. She felt they could grow and mature here in ways they could never do anywhere else. And they had grown. Kurt and Rogue grew into powerful operatives of the Hellfire Club. But along the way, her son Kurt took a different path that led him into Selene's dark grasp.

With Selene defeated, Kurt was now sitting in a holding cell with a weak and distant Wanda Maximoff by his side. Unlike the others, he hadn't totally lost himself to Mephisto's punishment. It seemed strange for a time, but considering how he did help delay Selene's ritual he may have gotten some light reprieve. But he still wasn't the same person. He was distant and submissive, yet still retained some of the defining traits that made him who he was. And one of those traits was his love for Wanda.

Watching him from a window outside the cell, Mystique and Rogue contemplated what would come of them.

"Ah guess you were right about him, mama," said Rogue distantly, "He did come through for us in the end."

"I suppose," sighed the shape shifter, "But it still came at a high price. If only he had overcome Selene's influence sooner maybe we could have salvaged more."

"Try not to think about that, mama," said Rogue, placing her hand on her shoulder, "We still got through to him and he helped us. That's gonna earn him some leeway."

"But not a lot," said Mystique distantly, "He'll still have to pay the price. But at least it'll be more tolerable. And I can be there for him to ensure he doesn't go down the same path again."

"So can Ah," said Rogue.

Mystique managed a brief smile and so did Rogue. For all the mistakes she made with Kurt, at least she still had Rogue by her side. She showed the kind of strength through this fight that filled her with great pride.

"We'll get through this," Rogue assured her, "And Kurt will too. He made mistakes, but even after bein' controlled by Selene for so long he was still able to fight through it at the end. Ah think that really says something about him."

"I'd like to think so," said Raven, "And I guess he was right about us too. We did stop him when we had to. It's just going to be strange now dealing with him. He's changed so much."

"Tell meh about it. While Ah can't complain about him bein' a bit more submissive, it still baffles meh to no end that he still clings to Wanda. Jean said she put a love spell on him. But that spell was broken as soon as we beat Selene. And yet he still loves her."

Mystique found herself smiling again, watching as Kurt lovingly held Wanda close to him. He let her rest her head on his shoulder, smiling warmly at her and kissing her softly. She used to be the greatest cynic of love and romance, but since she opened up to Logan all that had changed.

"Love is a powerful feeling, Rogue," she said, "Whether it's the love you have for a child or the love you have for soul mate, it can transcend even Selene's darkness."

"It still doesn't make any sense," muttered Rogue.

"Love isn't supposed to make sense. Now that you're psychic you should understand that. The spell on Kurt didn't create those feelings. It just played off them to control his will. So even after the spell is gone, those feelings remain. And they're still strong. I don't see him forgetting them anytime soon."

Rogue looked at Kurt and then back at her mother. She shook her head and laughed. She never though she would see the day when her mother became a romantic, but in a place like this anything was possible.

"Wow, being with Logan really has affected you, hasn't it?"

"I like to think it's affected me in a good way," said the shape shifter with a smile, "I know it must be weird for you."

"Believe meh, mama, after the stuff Ah've seen, the idea of mah mama bein' in love with someone is a long ways from bein' weird."

"So it's not going to be an issue?"

Rogue sighed and smiled at the woman who did so much for her. This wasn't an easy issue for her, but compared to all the other complications in their lives it was an issue were some good could arise.

"Ah'm gonna have to get used to the idea, but so long as Logan makes ya happy Ah ain't gonna complain," said Rogue, "Ah think you two really do seem to go well together."

"You think so?" said Raven with a smirk.

"You're tough, ill-tempered, angry, vengeful, and downright irrational at times. Hell, you're perfect for each other!"

Mystique cast her daughter a bemused glance. But Rogue just started laughing. Despite her somewhat crass depiction of her relationship with Logan, she found herself laughing as well. They had come a long ways as a family. A lot had changed over the years since they joined the Hellfire Club. More changes seemed to await them. They were going to have to deal with Kurt's new state in the Hellfire Club and they were going to have to deal with Mystiques blossoming relationship with Logan. But they had overcome great challenges before. There was no reason to believe they couldn't do it again. And no matter what happened between them they would still be family and they would build upon this new future in the Hellfire Club as a family.

* * *

**Outside Secondary Holding Cell**

Just outside the holding cells where Kurt and Wanda were being held, Logan was waiting for Mystique to come out. After making sure Laura was alright, he decided to catch up with Mystique to see how she was handling her family issues. He figured it was going to be difficult with Kurt so he wanted to be there for her. This transition was going to be difficult on all of them. If they were going to make their relationship work they had to support each other.

He waited impatiently upon seeing her talking with Rogue. He started pacing back and forth, his thoughts drifting back to how he and Raven came together and what was in store for them. Now that the battle was over they had a new challenge ahead of them. In the time he joined the Hellfire Club he developed feelings for two women, Jean and Raven. For a while he was certain his feelings for Jean were true. But over time stronger feelings for Raven developed. They didn't expect it to happen and it didn't happen all at once as his infatuation for Jean had. But it grew and blossomed. Now there was no denying the connection they shared. He wasn't sure where they would go from here, but he was glad to have her by his side.

He continued to pace as his thoughts dwelled on Raven and his relationship with her. Then in the middle of his musing, a familiar voice caught his attention.

"Waiting for someone, Logan?" said Jean Grey as she emerged from down the hall.

Logan turned and smiled at her presence.

"Hey Jeannie. Lookin' to spy in on the prisoners? I hear the real show is in the main cell up ahead," said Logan.

"Actually, I was hoping we could talk," she said in a serious tone, "We never got a chance to work out a number of issues."

Logan groaned somewhat at the prospect. He hadn't spoken to Jean much since the Emma Frost fiasco. But he knew he couldn't avoid it. And now seemed as good a time as any to get it over with.

"Look Jeannie, I understand if you're still mad at me," he said, "I know I've been avoiding this, but you should know I still regret what I did."

"I believe you," she said, moving in closer to him so she could look him in the eye, "And I haven't forgotten either. But now that we have a chance I think we should lay this matter to rest so we can move on."

Logan sighed, but didn't look away. Even though he found love with Raven, he still couldn't forget what he once had for this woman. He could tell she remembered too. He didn't want to lose her and she didn't want to lose his friendship. So he listened intently as she took a deep breath and said her peace.

"First off, I need to know one thing. Have you moved on from your feelings about me?" asked Jean.

Logan paused for a moment before giving her a clear answer.

"Yeah…I have," he said, "In case you didn't notice I sort of found someone else."

"Yes, I noticed," said Jean with a half smile, "And I'm happy for you. I'm glad you could find love. You deserve it. But regardless of who our hearts belong to, I don't want things between us to stay permanently strained. I still like you Logan. Even though I was really upset with what you did, I want to keep our friendship."

"I wanna keep it too," said Logan, reaching forth and affectionately caressing her face, "But you gotta understand Jeannie, what I felt for you was pretty strong. I'm not gonna forget that anytime soon."

"I know you won't. I don't expect you to," said Jean, "I just…I want to start over. I want us to be able to be around each other without the past complicating things."

"You sure that's possible, Jeannie? With me the past is always complicated."

"I'm not saying we have to completely ignore it. I'm just saying we should move beyond it. I want us to start with as clean a slate as we can. I don't want to come between you and Raven anymore than you want to come between me and Scott. I just want us to be close again."

To emphasize her point Jean slipped her arms around his neck and pulled him into an embrace. For all the complications between them, they still had a mutual affection for one another and they weren't going to forget it.

"I want us to be close too. But you know as well as I do there's always a risk of the past coming back to bite us."

"I know. But if you're willing to try, I promise you I'll try as well," said Jean with a reassuring smile.

Logan smiled back. Jean was still the same brave and bold woman who first reached out to him that fateful day. He still admired her in many ways. And he didn't want to begin this new future without her friendship to support him.

"You're a hell of a woman, Jeannie," he said with a grin, "You know how to push a guy in just the right way."

"Is that a yes?" said Jean, still smiling.

"Hell yes," affirmed Logan, "You know I'll do what I have to. Just don't expect me to get along with Summers."

"I'm not asking for a miracle, Logan. I'm just asking for a clean slate," laughed Jean.

They shared a good laugh and they hugged again to seal the deal. It was a good feeling, knowing they would have each other as friends again during this time. They were going to need it as the Hellfire Club rebuilt. And Logan was going to need it as his relationship with Raven continued to blossom. And jean was going to need that as her relationship with Scott continued to grow.

"So does that mean I can see you naked again?" said Logan with a manly grin as they parted.

"You're a brute, Logan," smirked Jean, "Don't ever change."

"Is that a yes?"

Jean laughed and sighed again as she started walking away.

"Tell you what, whenever we need to have sex we have plenty of partners around us to do it with. When we need to make love, you have Raven and I have Scott. But if ever we just need to ravage each other like we did that one night…well, why don't we make that our special thing?"

"Our special thing, huh?" grinned Logan, "Sure, I can live with that."

With this matter finally resolved, Jean and Logan shared one last smile. It was going to be a difficult transition period for everybody as they worked with Lord Xavier to rebuild the Hellfire Club. But for all the complications and difficulties they endured during their complicated relationship, Jean and Logan still had a strong friendship. Even though they had lovers of their own, they were still able to share a close friendship with one another. It was time to leave the past behind them and build upon a new foundation. And they were ready to do what they had to do in order to make it better.

* * *

**X-Industrial – Main Holding Cells**

Like many of the younger pawns Sam, Bobby, and Jubilee all had to endure hardship since their arrival at the Hellfire Club. They went from luckless and bitter young mutants to strong, cold, ruthless operatives of the Hellfire Club. The transition wasn't easy. It took a while for them to become comfortable with killing and brutality. But after enduring Selene's torment they were hardened in a way that went beyond mere conditioning. Whatever innocence and uncertainty they felt in the past was no more.

This hardened spirit showed as they looked into the main holding cell through an observation window. Inside they watched the now blindly submissive minions of Selene face their own brand of humiliation. Tabitha, Warren, Monet, Roberto, and the now mindless body of Psylocke were all drugged and forced to indulge in a chaotic orgy for their amusement. Warren was on top of Psylocke, relentlessly hammering into her pussy. Roberto had Monet pinned up against the wall, thrusting up into her from behind. And Tabitha was being gangbanged by three masked Hellfire guards. One was under her thrusting up into her pussy, the other was on top fucking her ass, and the other was in front of her shoving his erect cock down her throat. Selene herself was also present, but she was chained naked to the wall where guards could come over and beat and rape her as they pleased. She would be singled out for the most brutal of treatment. She deserved as such for her crimes. They all had dazed and distant looks on their faces. They were the looks of defeat and despair. And the three young pawns relished in them.

"What goes around comes around," mused Jubilee.

"Yeah, ain't payback a bitch?" said Bobby with a snide smirk.

"It's appropriate, Ah'll say that. But they got a long way to go," said Sam, "Ah don't think they'll ever be able to repent for helping Selene."

"Then I guess that means we're in for plenty more shows like this," grinned Bobby.

The three young pawns kept on watching, listening to their distant and muffled moans. There was a time where such a sight would have repulsed them. But their hardened spirits made them immune to such feelings of weakness.

"You know all this has got me thinking," said Sam distantly.

"About what? Since when does watching punishment warrant much thought?" said Bobby.

"It's not that. It's us," he said, "Just look at where are and where we came from. Time was we were getting worked up about having to kill people or having to do sex rituals. But after going up against Selene and taking her down like this, all those old concerns seem pretty meaningless."

"Well the novelty of killing and orgies wore off a long time ago, Sam," Bobby pointed out.

"Yeah, we trained for that stuff from day one," added Jubilee.

"Ah know we did. But Ah don't think we ever truly hardened up to it until we went through this. Ah remember going into the fight with Selene feeling so focused Ah could have ripped someone's heart out without a second thought. And after taking on her and all her minions, it just feels like we've taken it to the next level. And there's no going back."

Bobby and Jubilee thought about that for a moment. Sam had a point. He always had been a good thinker. Even though early on he was most anxious about the Hellfire Club's brutal tactics, his focus helped him turn into a stern leader not afraid to employ them. They felt it too, the way they didn't even flinch as they watched their enemies endure the humiliation of their punishment. They didn't feel any uncertainty or remorse. They just felt vindicated that they did what they had to do.

"I see what you mean," said Bobby, watching with hallowed eyes as more guards surrounded and gang raped Selene, "I guess all those old concerns we have do seem kind of meaningless now."

"No kidding," said Jubilee, "So where do we go from here? What's next after we've been hardened to this world and can never go back?"

Sam thought about it for a moment, watching intently as the orgy continued. He along with Bobby and Jubilee came from a world that was very unfair to them. The way his family suffered and the way they had suffered in their lives showed how weak and powerless they once were. Now they had power and they had strength. And they never wanted to lose that again.

"Ah don't know. We're all still working on that Ah guess," said Sam, "But one thing's for sure. Ah don't ever wanna go back to being weak and powerless. We've all been there. We know what kind of life that is."

"Yeah, and I never want to go back," said Jubilee strongly.

"Me neither," said Bobby.

"None of us do. And now that we're all stronger as a result of this, we'll never hesitate to do what we have to do. We're in control of our own destiny now. Ah say let's keep it that way."

As Sam, Bobby, and Jubilee continued to watch their enemies suffer they all shared a grin of affirmation. They were still young, but they had endured more than their share of trials and were stronger for it. Now more than ever their place was clear. They weren't just going to try and fit into the Hellfire Club. They were going to ascend and prosper in it. Their spirits had been hardened by Selene's torture and the rigors of having to fight back against her guards and minions. Now they would have no qualms about being merciless and brutal. They would do whatever they had to do in order to maintain their strength and power. They were not just pawns anymore. They were true products of the Hellfire Club.

* * *

**Academy of Tomorrow**

Illyana spent a few days resting and recovering at X-Industrial. The rigors of Selene's insane ritual left her tired and drained, but like her imposing brother she was strong and able to overcome it. In the time she had been recovering Piotr rarely left her side. He stayed with her, sharing many long talks with her explaining what Selene was trying to do and what they had to do in order to stop her. For many years now Piotr had been shielding his sister from the Hellfire Club's brutality. Because of her youth, he worried that she was not ready for it. But after going enduring so much under Selene it was pointless to keep it from her any longer.

As expected, some of his revelations were difficult for her understand. The brutality, power, and sex of the Hellfire Club was never easy to get around. But Illyana in her strength and resolve, did not think any less of her brother or of herself. She just kept smiling and hugging him, saying how proud she was of him. At the Academy of Tomorrow, she had learned about the harshness of the world and the need for such tactics to instill order. She took some comfort in knowing her brother was a part of it.

Now with a clean bill of health and a renewed spirit, Illyana returned to the Academy of Tomorrow to complete her studies. It wouldn't be long before she entered the ranks of the Inner Circle herself. Jean was already talking about getting her some mystical training and she already showed a great desire to follow in her brother's footsteps. But that was for the future. For now, she was content to take things one step at a time.

"I guess this is goodbye for now, Snowflake," said Piotr as he stood with Illyana outside the gates of the Academy.

"Hopefully not for too long, Piotr," said Illyana hopefully, "I hope to start visiting you for a change. Lord Xavier has already talked about me getting training of a different kind."

"I know. But are you sure you're ready for it?" he asked with a wary look.

"If I can endure a ritual with that Selene woman and these new powers, then I can endure anything," she said with a confident smile, "Try not to worry so much. I know you are my overprotective big brother and all, but I am growing up."

"I know you are. And I can already see you're a beautiful young woman," said Piotr, affectionately caressing her young face, "But I almost lost you. I don't want us to grow apart in the future."

"We never will, Piotr. I promise."

Smiling at her strong words, Piotr affectionately embraced his sister in his powerful arms. Illyana smiled and hugged him back, giving him a kiss on the cheek. Many things had disrupted their lives in the past. Ever since the death of their parents, it seemed as though the world was working against them. But through the hardships they remained a family and were stronger for it.

After they parted Illyana turned to Kitty, who stood by Piotr every step of the way. Illyana didn't get much of a chance to know her personally, but she had a feeling she would have plenty of opportunities.

"Take care of my brother, Kitty," said Illyana, "Somebody has to watch out for him."

"Snowflake, I'm still here you know?" chided Piotr.

"I know. I just like to see that look on your face," teased Illyana.

Kitty couldn't help but laugh and gave Illyana a hug as well. If she and Piotr were going to have a relationship, she might as well get used to having Illyana as part of her life.

"Don't worry, Illyana. I'll take care of him. I know how to handle big strong handsome Russians," said Kitty, casting Piotr an affectionate smile.

"Be sure you do," said Illyana as they parted, "Thanks again for all your help. And be sure to thank the others when you get back."

"We will, Illyana. And don't worry. As long as you're with us, you're in good hands," said Kitty.

Trusting her word, Illyana began making her way to the Academy entrance where Amelia was waiting for her. She turned to wave goodbye one last time to Piotr, Kitty, and Warpath who decided to tag along. She looked forward to developing in this new world of the Hellfire Club. Selene brought her into it unexpectedly and against her will. But now that she was in there was no avoiding it. She was going to learn and grow in the Inner Circle and her brother along with Kitty would be there to help her.

Kitty and Piotr watched as Illyana disappeared from sight into the academy. Piotr kept on watching in a daze, still contemplating how everything was going to change between them. As his thoughts wandered Kitty moved in closer and slipped her arms around him, helping to lay some of his fears to rest. For all his uncertainty, having Kitty in his life brought a sense of strength and stability.

"She's going to make a fine Hellfire woman one day," commented Kitty, "She's every bit as strong and tough as her brother."

"That she is," said Piotr, hugging her a little closer, "She will make her mark when the time comes. I'm sure of it."

"Bet she'll be pretty popular with the boys too," snickered Kitty, "She's already quite the looker."

Piotr blushed upon hearing that. As strong as Illyana was, there was also no denying her emerging beauty. And there was little doubt what such beauty would lead to in a place like the Hellfire Club.

"Please Kayta, don't make me think about that now. It's too soon."

"Sorry, I couldn't help myself!" she laughed, "But don't worry. I'll make it up to you."

"I'm sure you will," smiled Piotr.

She gave him a deep kiss to reassure him. He also put a little extra passion into it to let her know just how much he appreciated her support. The love they shared was really strengthened through this affair and it was sure to grant them more strength as they built a new future in the Hellfire Club together.

As they kissed Warpath, who kept his distance to give them some privacy, smiled at the sight of Piotr sharing a moment with his sister. He wasn't sure why he agreed to tag along for this, but years ago he once told Piotr to be careful with his sister. He warned him how many forces could come between them and encouraged him to stay strong and work through them, not letting Illyana slip away. And he appeared to succeed. The relationship he had with Illyana was much better than the one he had with John in the years that led up to their rift. And after witnessing such a scene even the proud Apache warrior couldn't help but get a little emotional as he remembered his lost brother. They could have done a lot together had fate been on their side. But his spirit was still with him and would surely guide him as he continued his journey with the Hellfire Club.

"You did good with her, Peter," said Warpath as he watched him and Kitty part.

"Thank you, comrade," said Piotr, "And thanks for all your advice. I promise I'll remember it for the future."

"I'm sure you two will be fine. If you guys can work through Selene's meddling, then you can work through anything."

"Truer words were never spoken!" said Kitty.

They all had reason to be optimistic. Surviving Selene's wrath had given them all a new strength and resolve. Without her dark presence looming over them, they were free to grow and expand their power in the Hellfire Club. Lord Xavier said it himself. A new order was on the horizon. Just what that order was and how it would take shape remained to be seen.

* * *

**Condominium Ruins**

A lot happens to someone who loses their home and possessions. For many it is a time of despair and sorrow. Everything they worked for was now in ruin and the idea of rebuilding seemed so daunting. But for some, such loss wasn't purely sorrow. For some there was hope. The destruction of one home just meant the creation of another. And for Remy and Ororo, who had to blow up their own homes during the elaborate plan to deceive Selene, it was a new beginning with plenty to be hopeful about.

Standing on a nearby rooftop looking over the ruins that had once been their upscale condominiums, Remy and Ororo watched as workers and officials sifted through the rubble. Deadpool was with them, but only because had nowhere else better to be and insisted he tag along. They were all in a similar situation. For so long now they had just been hired thieves for Xavier and the Hellfire Club. They never got involved in their affairs or wielded any influence. They never had any desire to. But after fighting alongside Xavier and his pawns against Selene, their mindset had changed. Living lavish lives as master thieves was nice and all, but now they felt they were capable of more.

"So much for all our stuff," sighed Remy.

"It's just stuff," said Ororo, "We can always get more. It's not like we can't afford it."

"Oui, but you know as well as I do that when that building blew up it took with it the good old times. And there ain't no going back."

"Yes, I've been thinking about that a lot too," said Ororo as she looked at the rubble in a daze, "But I believe this is a good thing. It may very well have been inevitable that we would find ourselves in a situation like this. We became so close to Xavier and he trusted us a great deal. And you know as well as I do the first rule of thumb for any master thief."

"Never get too close to a client," mused the Cajun, "Guess we broke that rule."

"That's not entirely a bad thing, Remy," said Ororo, moving in closer to him, "Had we not been so close to Xavier he never would have trusted us enough to help him. And chances are Sinister and Selene would have killed us once we outlived our usefulness."

Remy shook his head and sighed. In the grand scheme of things, they made the right decision. But it still crossed a number of lines that carried with it a number of consequences.

"I guess it was inevitable," the Cajun mutant conceded, "So what now? You and I are master thieves, tried and true. And Xavier's already talkin' about us joining the Inner Circle. Think we can manage that? Is we even ready for it?"

Ororo turned away from the rubble and looked her lover in the eye. She had a mix of optimism and uncertainty written on her face. But she still managed a warm smile as she pulled him into an embrace.

"I've been thinking about that a lot too, Remy. And thieves or not, we are who we are. You and I are products of the Hellfire Club just by working for them. And after helping Xavier with this, taking down a woman like Selene, I think it's time we stop avoiding it."

"So what do we do? Stop bein' thieves and start being kings?" said Remy, managing a slight smile as well.

"Like I said, we are who we are," said Ororo, "We're just going to have to work with the circumstances we're given. And I think after everything we've been through, we belong with the Hellfire Club. We'll still always be thieves. Only now we'll just be stealing more than just gold. We'll be stealing power, wealth, and influence."

Ororo always had a way of putting things into a way that made them seem less daunting. It was one of the many attributes he loved about her. This was no different. His whole life he had been a thief only stealing power and influence for others. Now he and Ororo had a chance to wield that power for themselves. It carried a lot of appeal. Even though they had little experience in such dealing, fighting alongside Xavier showed them they could handle it.

"You always know how to say the right thing, cherè," said the Cajun with a wry grin.

"Isn't that why you're in love with me?" said Ororo, snaking her arms around his neck and pulling him closer.

"It's one of the reasons. We work so well together. Guess it shouldn't be too much a stretch to rule together. If nothing else we can spice things up a bit."

"I'm sure we can," grinned Ororo.

With new confidence and hope, the two thieves shared a warm smile. Then in each others arms in the shadow of the ruins of their old home, they drew closer for a kiss. It seemed the most fitting way to usher in this new part of their lives. But just as their lips were about to make contact, an obnixous tone interrupted them.

"Hey love birds! Ain't you gonna come down and do some savaging?" said Deadpool as he popped up from a fire ladder near the side of the building, "There's a lot of goodies down there! I already found a huge stash of DVDs and pronos!"

Ororo and Remy were forced to part. Remy laughed while Ororo was annoyed. Just when they were having a moment, Deadpool had to step in.

"Wade, do you always have to do that?" she groaned.

"Of course! It just wouldn't be me if I didn't," said Deadpool as he climbed up and joined them at the edge.

Then in an obnoxious show of his offbeat brand of humor and madness, he got between and pulled them both into a hug.

"Just think, soon the three of us will be living in style! Doing real damage in this crazy world! We'll be one big happy family! I can be the crazy uncle who likes to shoot things and kill people for a price! It's like a sitcom but with more blood! Hell, we can do our own reality show and sell it to HBO!"

Ororo and Remy could only groan and laugh as Deadpool went on. Even though this was a time of great change in their lives, there were a number of things that were sure to stay the same. No matter what they endured or how much the world changed, at least there would always be one constant. Deadpool would never shut up.

It was somewhat comforting in a ways. They both came from the lowest rungs of the thieving world and now they were poised to wield power in a whole new way. There were sure to be challenges along the way. And no matter what they had to overcome, they would be there to help one another. One of the cardinal rules of thieving was to not fall in love with a partner. They broke that rule just as they had the rule about clients, but Remy and Ororo had no regrets. They were ready to move forward. And they were going to do it together.

* * *

**X-Industrial – Sinister's Lab**

There was an old saying in the Hellfire Club. Kings and empires fall, but Hellfire burns forever. It was a motto the organization followed since its inception. And despite a long tradition of backstabbing, assassination, murder, and overthrows the Hellfire Club persisted and prospered. But because of these traditions it was never able to expand its power beyond certain limits. Charles Xavier fought his way into this organization with hopes of changing that. And with Selene, the last vestige of the old order, defeated he finally had a chance to finish what he started.

The Hellfire Club had been shaken by Selene's betrayal, but not broken. The process of rebuilding had already begun. Charles Xavier was already in the process of re-establishing the vast array of connections between the commercial, political, and economic entities that the Hellfire Club controlled. It was a bit tedious, but with Selene no longer in his way it was only a matter of time before he had total control over all of the Hellfire Club's resources. But beyond just re-establishing power, Charles Xavier had great plans for the future. The Hellfire Club was going to be expanding and it was going to need a new generation of Inner Circle to carry it out.

But building a new Inner Circle wasn't just about getting his pawns more involved. It wasn't about expanding his level of control either. It was also about setting up a base to build the Hellfire Club up for the long term. He had his young pawns and he had his allies. But the defeat of Selene and Sinister lent other opportunities. Selene may be a slave and Sinister a lifeless statue, but some of their effects remained. The most obvious were the infants Sinister created using DNA of his pawns.

Standing in Sinister's lab with Moria, Danielle, and Rahne the Black King watched over the sleeping infants, who were now resting in a number of incubators that Forge built. Since their return Moria had been looking after the children, giving them physicals and caring for them with Rahne's assistance. Her studies revealed that they all had great potential. And in their infant forms they held so much promise for this illustrious organization.

"So young and innocent," he mused as he walked amongst the sleeping infants, "They're quite beautiful, aren't they."

"Aye," said Moria as she finished cataloguing the last of the data, "I never had much affinity for anything Sinister created, but I think we can take exception to these little wonders. They all have so much potential, both physically and in terms of their mutation. They'll be quite the little marvels when they grow up."

"I'm sure they will," said Xavier.

As he and Moria looked over the children, Danielle and Rahne sat off to the side. Rahne was still adjusting to the feeling of this place without Hank in it. But she was learning to cope. And Danielle helped as well. Having played such a huge part in defeating Selene, she was given many privileges during this process. She had earned the trust of the Black King and shown how strong she can be.

"So what's going to happen to them?" asked Danielle as her eyes fell upon a child that appeared to be hers.

"Fear not, Danielle. They'll be in good hands," assured the Black King, "The new order of the Hellfire Club is just beginning, but it's never too early to start planning for the future. Like you and every other pawn, we will take these children into our care and begin molding them in the spirit of the Inner Circle."

"It'll be glorious," Moria went on, looking at the children with such deep affection, "For the first time in the organization's history, an entire class of mutants will be trained from birth to serve us. And with our combined power we can ensure they'll be strong and loyal, continuing our power for centuries to come."

"So they'll be pawns from the cradle?" said Rahne.

"It would be a gross oversimplification of their roles," said Xavier, "They are the true sons and daughters of the Hellfire Club. And they will be raised as such."

It sounded like an appropriate title. These children represented a new generation entirely spawned from the Hellfire Club. And they couldn't have emerged at a better time. Unlike the other pawns they wouldn't know or be prone to the darkness of Selene and her ways. They could be molded in their own image, embracing the new ideals that Xavier worked so hard to establish.

As he looked over the children, Charles Xavier made his way over to Moria. She was still caught up in the spirit of motherhood. Losing her own child left her with plenty of maternal love to go around. And the idea of her acting as a mother again to this new breed of Hellfire Elite had a great deal of appeal for Xavier and the Inner Circle.

"Looks like you'll get your chance to be a mother figure once more, Moria," said Xavier.

"Aye, I look forward to it, Charles," said Moria with a warm smile, "I promise ye I'll see to it that they embrace the Hellfire spirit. They'll be like the children I never got to have myself."

"I guess that makes me a big sister?" commented Rahne.

"Of course, lass. I wouldn't trust anybody else to teach them how to hunt and stalk their prey," said Moria.

"I hope I'll get the chance to spend time with my child too," said Danielle, "I know none of us prepared for this. But I think everybody would embrace the chance to raise this new generation."

"And I assure you, you'll get your chance. Everybody will," said Xavier strongly, "You and every other pawn that stood against Selene will get your reward. I am not like the Black Kings before me. I do not forget those who serve this organization with such loyalty. Everybody will have a chance to establish their place in this new order."

"But what kind of order will it be?" asked Danielle.

Xavier smiled as he looked at Moria and then back at the children. For so long now he dreamed of establishing a new order that would crush the chaos that consumed this world. Ever since that fateful day killed his monster of a step-father he had walked this path, seeking power to overcome the irrational lies and deceit of a dishonest world. Now after years of planning and fighting, he had his chance and he was going to make good use of it.

"I can't say what exactly the new order will be. But let's just say I have grand ambitions," grinned the Black King, "There will be a new Inner Circle, one run by those voiced in the new ideals that I have pursued since the beginning. And together we will expand our power to every corner of the world, instilling order in every man, woman, and child. No mind or power will be too great. No force will be above us. We will reign supreme!"

Xavier then walked around the incubators holding the children and placed his hand over the glass, smiling intently as he contemplated the endless possibilities. He and his loyal followers had fought long and hard for this. Now they were ready to assume their rightful place atop the hierarchy of power. At long last order will reign over chaos.

"Selene thought this world was too sick to go on. She thought the only way to lay it all to rest was to burn in a sea of Hellfire. But she was wrong. This world is not sick, just corrupt. Only in the presence of order, enforced by power and fear, can civilization be set upon the right path. For those that help establish this order, they will be rewarded. For those that opposed it like Selene and her minions, they will be punished."

"So this is really it?" said Rahne with growing excitement, "This is going to be everything we've worked for from the beginning?"

"That and so much more, my dear," said the Black King with an ominous grin, "And it shall all come together very soon. We still must re-establish our connections and regain all our assets. We must also build a new manor for ourselves where we can begin our reign. Then there will be no force on this planet that can stop us. Hellfire will truly burn forever!"

* * *

**Up next: A new Inner Circle emerges and the world succumbs to Hellfire.**

**AN: Well, only one chapter left now. The New Blood trilogy is almost over and so is Slickboy444. I don't know what else to say other than please review while you still can. Post it on the fanfiction website or send me an email. After the last chapter, no more stories will come from me as Slickboy444. I hope you enjoy these last moments.  
**


	21. Hellfire Burns Forever

**New Blood  
Chapter 21: Hellfire Burns Forever**

* * *

**Hellfire Manor Throne Room – Six Months Later**

The big day had finally arrived. Six months since Selene's ultimate defeat, the Hellfire Club had rebuilt its manor, regained control of all their old assets, and re-established connections with all previous commercial, political, and economic entities. It was a cumbersome and sometimes bloody affair, requiring them to take out those who tried to break away and re-connect with those who hadn't. With a new and more powerful Cerebrum now online, they had all the power and control they had before Selene's betrayal and then some. But just getting that power back was the beginning. Now the time had come to take it to the next level.

At midnight on a cloudy night over Manhattan, Xavier and his loyal followers gathered in the main throne room of the rebuilt Hellfire Manor. They were all dressed in their best Hellfire attire with the men wearing their custom Victorian style suits and the women wearing their revealing lingerie pieces. They all stood in one long row before the main throne where Xavier sat with Moria by his side. Scott, Jean, Piotr, Rogue, Warpath, Pietro, Logan, Mystique, Bobby, Jubilee, Kitty, Sam, Julian, Rahne, Remy, Ororo, Deadpool, Danielle, Emma, Laura, and Lorna had fought hard alongside Xavier in his ascension towards power. As such they were to be rewarded. And tonight was the night where it all would begin.

But this wasn't just a night of rewards. This was also a night of punishment. Behind them, stripped naked and in their knees, were Selene and her minions. They all bore looks of despair, defeat, and submission. For the past six months they had been languishing in holding cells, awaiting their fate. Selene along with Wanda, Alex, Tabitha, Kurt, Warren, Psylocke, Monet, and Roberto were there only to receive their official sentence. As traitors to the Hellfire Club, they were forever condemned. Their will and resolve was gone. All that was left was to learn their fate and accept it.

As soon as the clock struck midnight, the ceremonies began. Charles Xavier rose up wearing his elaborate new attire and addressed his loyal minions.

"Tonight marks the beginning of a new era for the Hellfire Club. After centuries of reign, the old order has conceded. Now we, a new and more enlightened order, shall take over. And you, my dear associates, will not only bear witness to this momentous event. You will partake in it. For you have all chosen your paths. You chose to serve me loyally and as such you will be rewarded beyond all measure."

Stepping down from the throne, Xavier smiled at his followers and they smiled back. They all had the look of a ruthless, hardened spirit in their eyes. They had been working so hard for this and they were ready for it.

"But before we begin, we must first take care of a few lose ends. There is still the matter of what to do with those who chose a different path."

Xavier's followers stepped aside and turned their attention to Selene and the rest of her kneeling minions. They watched as he approached them, staring down on them without pity or sympathy. They all cowered in his presence, barely even looking up with their lost gazes. They had no free will or spirit in them. Their only whim was whatever Charles Xavier dictated.

"Selene…" he said, drawing the attention of the former Black Queen, "You and your followers are guilty of the greatest of crimes. You betrayed the Hellfire Club. You tried to destroy everything, flying in the face of all that which our organization stands for. And for that you and your minions will all be punished. Please rise as I deliver your sentences."

Selene and her minions did as they were told, not saying a word as they rose up and awaited their fate.

"From this day forward, you will live on with the lowest and most shameful of all titles. You are henceforth Hellfire Slaves. You will not be permitted to leave this facility. Your only duty is to do whatever anyone in the Inner Circle says without question. You will go on whatever mission we tell you to. You will do any job we tell you to do. Women, if one of our men wishes to rape you or put you into a sex show. You will do so without question. Men, if the women wish to torment or humiliate you, you will do so without question. And you will not resist anything that anyone here tries to do to you. You are slaves now. You are less than human. And you will bear this title now and forever."

Xavier then turned to Moria and nodded. She then stepped forward, carrying a special mystical amulet given to her by Enchantress. Then with a cold and ruthless look in her eyes, she held the amulet up over the defeated slaves. Then the amulet started to glow in a bright red hue. As it glowed in a bright aura Selene, Wanda, Alex, Tabitha, Kurt, Warren, Psylocke, Monet, and Roberto each let out pained groans. Their naked bodies were soon engulfed in the aura. Then on the back of their necks a red symbol appeared. It was a distinct mystical symbol that marked them as a slave. It was a permanent mark, forever tying them to the Inner Circle's power. Once the glowing stopped it was seared into their flesh, never to be removed.

"Now bow before you eternal masters," ordered Xavier, "You're servitude shall henceforth begin."

Selene and her minions obeyed, bowing to Xavier and all her minions. It was a final show of defeat and submission. The Black King and all of his loyal supporters grinned at such a sight. It was utterly satisfying in so many ways. Selene, a woman who spent countless centuries making people her slaves, was now a slave herself. It couldn't have been a more appropriate punishment.

But Selene and her minions weren't the only ones facing punishment. Emma Frost, who waited off to the side, was guilty of crimes against the Hellfire Club as well. Granted they were not as severe as Selene's and she had done much to make up for them, she could not escape punishment. She had to pay her dues. But Charles Xavier was a reasonable man if nothing else. He understood her situation and she trusted his judgment.

"Emma Frost, please step forth," said the Black King.

Emma did as requested, bearing her usual hardened expression as she stood strongly before Charles Xavier. He then turned to Scott and Jean and gestured for them to join him. Since they were such a big part of Emma's actions and since they were most affected, it was only proper that they be part of this.

"As you well know, Emma, you are also guilty of crimes against the Hellfire Club. You aided, albeit unknowingly, Selene in her insurrection. And you did not do anything to fight back until much damage was done. Now you have done a great deal to redeem yourself in helping us fight back against her, but you must understand that your transgressions cannot go unpunished."

"I understand, Lord Xavier," said Emma in a flat tone, "I am ready to accept whatever punishment you deem fit."

The Black King nodded and approached the young woman who he had so much respect for. It was somewhat disappointing that he had to do this, but the bylaws of the Inner Circle had to be upheld. But that didn't mean he couldn't be reasonable.

"Very well, your reprimand is as follows," said Xavier, "You are hereby stripped of your authoritative and administrative privileges. You are also hereby ineligible for any greater rank than that of a pawn. As part of your penance, you will also perform regular services at Club Hellfire. Furthermore, you will submit to the authority and demands dictated not just by myself, but that of Scott Summers and Jean Grey. You will take whatever their commands may be and carry them out as if they were a command from myself or Moria. Is that understood?"

Emma's expression hardened once more. It was devastating and demoralizing to hear that all the power and privilege she once enjoyed so much was being revoked, but this was the price she had to pay. As hard as it was, she swallowed her pride and nodded.

"Yes, sir," she said, bowing her head slightly.

Then the Black King gently caressed her face and smiled slightly. As harsh as he was at delivering punishment, he still made it clear he had a great fondness for her. And he wasn't going to forget it.

"I'm not done yet, my dear Emma," he said with a touch of affection, "While I know this punishment is a strong one, it is not eternal like the others. This is a temporary arrangement. Prove your loyalty over time and do your duties and these sanctions will be lifted. You will be able to regain much of your authority. You will still remain under Scott and Jean's authority, but prove yourself to them as well as me and you will aspire to the potential I know you have. That I can promise you."

Emma's expression shifted somewhat. While it would be degrading to work under such scrutiny for a while, if she didn't screw up again she could get her status back. That was encouraging. Of course, that all depended on convincing Scott and Jean of her worth. Turning towards them, she still saw a great deal of bitterness in their eyes. But she also saw a touch of reassurance. They made it clear they were every bit as reasonable as Xavier. She just had to prove herself. She had a long way to go, but with time she was confident she could convince them and Xavier.

"Thank you, my lord. I promise I'll do what I must," said Emma.

"I know you will," said Charles Xavier with a reassuring smile.

To seal the deal, Xavier had Scott and Jean step forth. Moria joined them as well, standing around Emma with the authority and power of the Inner Circle.

"Now then, Emma, please kneel and accept this judgment. Your penance shall begin immediately after," said Xavier.

Emma nodded and despite her pride and vanity, she humbled herself before her Black King and her former rivals, Scott and Jean. She bowed in a traditional sign of submission and obedience. And they all accepted. For Scott and Jean it was bittersweet. Emma's betrayal hurt them the most, but even after everything she did she showed that she was willing to make up for it. With that in mind they were willing to show some mercy and let her earn back their trust and hopefully one day, their acceptance.

Once the gesture was accepted, Xavier gestured for Scott and Jean to take a step back.

"Thank you, Emma. You may rise," said the Black King.

Emma did as she was told and returned to her feet. While she was humbled, she still bore the distinct hardened expression that so defined her. Even thought she was now on the road towards penance, she was still Emma Frost. And she was sure to have a significant impact on the Inner Circle for a long time to come.

With the punishments officially handed out, it was now time for the next and most important part of the ceremony. Charles Xavier and Moria MacTaggart returned to their thrones. There, Xavier retrieved a large decorated sword in an elaborate jeweled case. The sword wasn't the same sword used in the typical swearing in ceremonies that all the pawns had to go through. This one was far more elaborate, crafted in the traditional form of the mythical Excalibur from Arthurian legend. When he withdrew it from its sheath, it bore an ominous and distinct glow. It was like the perfect blade, crafted with the kind of beauty and power that so defined the Inner Circle and the Hellfire Club.

With the sword in hand, Xavier stepped down from his throne and addressed the loyal pawns that had served him so since the beginning of his reign.

"My loyal associates," he said, "Please step forth and kneel."

Scott, Jean, Piotr, Rogue, Warpath, Pietro, Logan, Mystique, Bobby, Jubilee, Kitty, Sam, Julian, Rahne, Remy, Ororo, Deadpool, Danielle, Laura, and Lorna did as they were told. They were all brimming with anticipation and excitement. Xavier had told them from the beginning that they would be rewarded for their loyalty and Charles Xavier was a man of his word. And with Moria by his side, watching on with pride, the Black King smiled proudly at his young minions and began walking amongst them.

"Since the beginning of the Hellfire Club, the rite of ascension is the most sacred and honored tradition. When one proves themselves to be truly worthy of a rank within the Inner Circle, it is a time of great celebration. You will have a chance to exert your will on this chaotic world and indulge in all the pleasures it has to offer. Anything and everything you could ever want will be yours."

It sounded like everything they had ever worked for. They all remained silent and obedient as Xavier stopped in the middle and held the sword up high in a show of strength and power.

"Like a game of chess, a pawn may become a higher piece. Today you shed your former rank as pawn. And since you have so loyally and dutifully served me and the spirit of the Hellfire Club in the face of such grave threats, it is with great honor and jubilation that I bestow upon you these new ranks of power and authority."

Then with pride and anticipation, Charles Xavier approached each one of his loyal associates and bestowed upon them a new rank and title. By doing so he wasn't just rewarding those that had served him loyally. He was putting into place a new Inner Circle to rule over the Hellfire Club.

"Scott Summers," he said, now standing before the young man, "For your leadership and dedication to principle and authority, I hereby bestow upon you the rank of Black King."

Xavier then tapped both shoulders with the tip of the sword, making the new rank official and everlasting to his being. For a former orphan who knew nothing but loss and frustration, it was the culmination of everything he worked for. He suffered and endured so much and at long last his drive had paid off. Now he wasn't just a leader of his own path, he was a leader of true power.

"Jean Grey," said Xavier, now standing before the young redhead, "For your power and dedication to knowledge and enlightenment, I hereby bestow upon you the rank of Black Queen."

Xavier tapped both her shoulders with the sword, imbuing her with the title once held by Selene. For Jean Grey, it was a fitting way to end her journey from a confused young girl to a confident, powerful young woman. Having taken on Selene herself and triumphed, she would use all her power as a mystic and psychic to exert a level of control she once thought was unattainable. And unlike Selene, she would not take it for granted.

"Piotr Rasputin," said Xavier, now standing in front of him, "For your strength and poise that has provided such a strong foundation for this organization, I hereby bestow upon you the rank of White Rook."

Xavier tapped Piotr's broad shoulders with the sword, officially completing the young Russian's journey from a nameless errand boy for the Russian Mob to a true colossus of strength. It used to be he was never strong enough in the ways that mattered to help his family and himself. Now he had more than just strength. He had power. And he would wield it in ways every bit as big as his own muscles.

"Marie Darkholm," said Xavier, now moving towards Rogue, "For your ever evolving strength and cunning that has aided the Inner Circle at every turn, I hereby bestow upon you the rank of Black Rook."

Xavier tapped the shoulders of the young woman who was once a homeless runaway. Rogue had fought her way through countless struggles, learning how to fight and endure through hardship and frustration. Once she was at the mercy of her powers. Now she was fully in control and constantly using them in new ways. Her mother always wanted great things for her and now she had a chance to pursue those things on her own accord.

"James Poundstar," said Xavier as he walked up to the Apache warrior, "For your skill and spirit, bearing all the honor and resolve of a true warrior, I hereby bestow upon you the rank of Black Knight."

He then tapped both shoulders with the sword, a fitting way to anoint a true warrior to a position of power. For James Poundstar, he was a warrior without a cause in wake of his brother's death. For so long he questioned his own worth. But now after taking on new battles and new foes and overcoming all of them, he had his cause. It was the cause of Hellfire and he would fight for it until his last breath.

"Pietro Maximoff," said Xavier as he then approached the speedy mutant, "You were once an enemy, but you changed your path and followed that of Hellfire. For your desire to pursue a greater path and your insatiable drive to pursue it with such loyalty over that of others who push you so hard, I bestow upon you the rank of White King."

Charles Xavier tapped both shoulders of the son of his old friend. For years Pietro lived in the shadow of his father, always serving under him and never taking power for himself. But he had since risen above him, turning away from Magneto's cause and pursuing one he truly believed in. Now his father was dead and he wielded power that even he could never hope to wield. That in many ways was the ultimate triumph the son of Magneto could achieve.

"James Howlett and Laura Kinney," said Xavier as he approached both Logan and Laura, "Since your fates are inescapably link, you shall receive your rank together. You were both once lost, the victims of people who tried to turn you into weapons. But now you fight for yourselves and for the Hellfire Club. For your unparalleled skill and efficiency in the art of combat and bloodshed, I hereby bestow upon the both of you the title of White Knight."

He then tapped both shoulders of the two former living weapons. For Logan, it was a powerful moment. He was once the deranged victim of a failed science experiment. He spent so many years endlessly pursuing the past and punishing those who had wronged him. But now he had a new pursuit. He was dedicated to an organization that let him do what he did best. And as a reward, he got to wield power and influence. That was the ultimate ascension from weapon to hellfire.

When the sword touched Laura's shoulders, it was equally powerful. Like Logan, she too was the victim of a failed science experiment. Like Weapon X, she was poked and prodded in inhumane ways meant to rob her of any sense of self. They tormented her in so many ways, eventually costing her the life of her mother. But the Hellfire Club gave her a new identity. She was a product of the Hellfire Club and that was an identity she could fully embrace.

"Raven Darkholm," said Xavier, moving onto his long time ally, "A very special case indeed. For your efficient service and unparalleled cunning that has extended beyond my own reign as Black King, I hereby bestow upon you the rank of Blue Knight."

"Blue…my favorite color," commented Mystique.

The shape shifter smiled as Xavier tapped both her shoulders with the tip of the sword. She spent a lifetime trying to create a better life for herself. She used to have to resort to lies and deception, using her powers to create the life she wanted. But the Hellfire Club gave her an opportunity to create a life for her and her children where she didn't have to be someone else. Now as just Raven Darkholm she could live this life and wield power on her own terms.

"Robert Drake," said Xavier, moving onto his next associate, "For your resolve in fighting back against those who would harm you and your ability to freeze your enemies where they stand in more ways than one, I bestow upon you the rank of Blue Bishop."

Xavier tapped the shoulders of the young man, filling him with a sense of accomplishment he never thought he would have. Since that fateful day in the hospital after having been assaulted by a lynch mob, he was a different person. But Xavier and the Hellfire Club took him in and helped him regain his strength and confidence. Now he would never be a victim again. He would be the one with the power. From here on out, that would be the cold hard truth in more ways than one.

"Jubilation Lee," said Xavier as he moved on, "For your cunning and resolve to take that which is rightfully yours and let no one stand in your way, I hereby bestow upon you the rank of Yellow Bishop."

Jubilee couldn't help but smile proudly as she felt the blade tap both shoulders. Growing up she got lucky being adopted by rich parents. Then that was taken away from her. She got lucky again surviving in Beverly Hills malls. That was taken away from her as well. Now she was in the Hellfire Club where nothing like that could ever be taken from her again. It was her turn to judge who would take what and who would receive. And that kind of power resonated strongly with her and she planned on wielding it well.

"Katheryn Pryde," said Xavier, moving onto the next of his younger associates, "For your uncanny capacity to be tough and resourceful in the face of overwhelming force, I hereby bestow upon you the rank of Blue Rook."

Kitty bowed her head graciously as Xavier tapped her shoulders with the sword. It vindicated everything Piotr told her that fateful day her path crossed with the Hellfire Club. She grew up always submitting to the will and power of others. Now others would be submitting to her. She was stronger and tougher in every sense possible. And nobody, both figuratively and literally, could touch that.

"Samuel Guthrie," said Xavier as he approached the Kentucky farm boy, "For you, a boy who started off with such uncertainty who later established himself as a true leader and example for all those who follow you, I hereby bestow upon you the rank of Red King."

The decorated blade tapped the shoulders of the young man who once had such reservation about Hellfire's ruthless ways. There once was a time when he believed all the morals of the deluded masses, but he had since realized the shortcomings of such morals. He came to see the true strength in the cutthroat tactics of the Hellfire Club. They made it so that those like his family could never endure the same hardship under the tyranny of others. Now he was a champion of such ways and would continue to be for a long time to come.

"Julian Keller," said Xavier, moving on to his next young follower, "For your unshakeable drive to pursue greater causes regardless of challenge or cost, material or otherwise, I hereby bestow upon you the rank of Red Rook."

Julian remained strong and stern as he felt the blade touch his shoulders. It used to be the rich and privileged world his parents brought him up in was so boring and unchallenging. Here at the Hellfire Club he found more than just new privileges. He found new ways to wield power and exact control. He also found the heart of a beautiful, tough woman that made his life all the more exciting. And with these new challenges and privileges, he planned on putting such power to good use.

"Remy Lebeau," said Xavier as he approached one of his top thieves, "For you, a thief who walked away from one chaotic conflict into another and proved himself worthy of every boastful skill and attribute, I hereby bestow upon you the rank of Black Bishop."

"Bishop huh? It ain't a face card, but Remy will play it," grinned the Cajun thief.

Xavier smiled at his comment and tapped his shoulders with the sword. Remy Lebeau grew up in a world where power was a mix of force and skill. He moved away from that world when it started forcing him into positions he didn't want to be in. Here in the Hellfire Club, he could avoid such fates for good. He could be a master thief and power broker on his own terms. For someone who so frequently dealt in games of chance, this was truly the jackpot of all rewards.

"Ororo Munroe," said Xavier as he moved onto his longtime ally, "Another very special case. For you, a thief who has stood by and loyally served me with grace, skill, and an unparalleled wrath worthy of Mother Nature herself, I bestow upon you the rank of White Queen."

Ororo smiled at his kind words as he tapped her shoulders with the sword. From a pickpocket in Africa to a real queen, Ororo Munroe ascended through a myriad of challenges. Most thieves in her position ended up dead or in jail. But she was smart, cunning, and wise. She followed her own whims and that of nature itself and now here she was, a true queen in her own right. It was a fitting title for a woman who wielded the power of nature. And she would wield it with grace and authority.

"Wade Wilson," said Xavier as he approached the ever popular mercenary, "Yet another special case, but in a different way. Despite your 'unique' personality traits, you have shown a remarkable aptitude for getting a job done. For such grit and determination as well as your offbeat persona, I bestow upon you the rank of Red Knight."

"Oh happy days! Momma Deadpool would be so proud!" said Deadpool, pretending to hold back a sob.

Xavier laughed at his words. Even for a moment as profound as this, Wade Wilson was still the obnoxious merc with a moth. But for all his annoying comments and mental instability, he served the Hellfire Club with unquestioning loyalty and efficiency. He may have a screw loose, but he knew a good deal when he saw it. He took on the challenges of the Hellfire Club in a serious yet lighthearted manner. And now that he had officially proven himself, he earned his place with the Inner Circle. Even for him, that was nothing to joke about.

"Danielle Moonstar," said Xavier as he approached the young woman he owed so much to, "A very special young woman who we all owe a great deal. For you, a girl who went above and beyond her limits to stand against those who would oppose the Inner Circle and all its principles and succeeded with such grace, I hereby bestow upon you the rank of Red Queen."

It was a high rank for someone her age, but Xavier tapped her shoulders with the sword proudly and without reservation. Danielle Moonstar once lived a life of nightmares and uncertainty. She was at the mercy of her own illusions. Now the tables had turned. Now only others would be affected by her illusions. She learned and worked through great challenges and sometimes burdens to gain control. Now that control earned her the title of a queen and it was a control she would never let slip away ever again.

"Rahne Sinclair," said Xavier, moving onto someone especially close to him, "My dear child. You have come a long way and become so strong. For your unwavering dedication not just to the Hellfire Club but to your own family and your predatory supremacy over all those you hunt, I hereby bestow upon you the rank of Red Bishop."

"Not bad for an animal," grinned the feral young woman.

Xavier tapped both her shoulders, granting her the power she worked much of her life to attain. It was a satisfying reward for a girl whose biological father threw her away. She grew up in the Hellfire Club. She came of age through the ways instilled in her by her mother, Moria, and Charles Xavier. And with later help from Hank McCoy, she came to embrace who and what she was. She wasn't just an animal, she was a true predator. And now she was a predator with power. No prey shall ever escape her grasp again.

"Lorna Dane," said Xavier, now standing at the last associate in line, "For you, a girl who had to overcome the sins of your father and wield power with a strength and resiliency able to overcome even the greatest of foes, I hereby bestow upon you the rank of Green Rook."

It had been a true test of strength and spirit for Lorna and Xavier rewarded such resiliency as he tapped her shoulders with the tip of the sword, making it official. Lorna lived much of her life having to overcome the hole left by her father and the unrelenting greed and deviousness of people like Selene. She had always been willing to use power to exact vengeance and order. Now she would have a chance to do so on a much larger scale. She had become so much more than her father ever could have imagined. And even though she bore his powers, she would not bear his flaws.

With the final anointment, the new Inner Circle was almost complete. Charles Xavier returned to the throne where Moria was waiting for him. There with the sword in hand he stood proudly over his loyal associates. They were no longer the confused and lost mutants they once were. They were true champions of the Hellfire Club, hardened by darkness and guided by reason. Together they would be a truly unstoppable force. There was but one step left to bring it all together.

"You may rise, my fellow elites," said Charles Xavier.

The new Inner Circle did as he said, rising up with a new strength and resolve that showed a new hardened spirit. They no longer bore the looks of pawns. They bore the looks of true Hellfire Club royalty.

"Now as you all are have ascended to a higher state within the Inner Circle, there remains one more rank to bestow. And that is the rank that I shall take along with Moria. As you all know, when the Hellfire Club first formed it was established by a grand and wise Lord Imperium. From that first act, everything this organization has become emerged. But since then no one has taken on such a title. Many have strived for it, but traditions of infighting and backstabbing have prevented it."

Then with the sword in hand, Xavier walked up to his throne and held the sword high with the proud aura and might of a true ruler.

"On this day of the birth of a new Inner Circle, I hereby resurrect that role from the ashes. From this day forth, I shall wield power in this glorious organization under the title of Black Emperor. And my dear Moria, who has stood by me and helped me rule all this time, shall rule with me as Black Empress."

Moira smiled proudly and joined Charles Xavier near the throne. They had talked about this moment before, fantasizing about the day when it would all finally come together. Now that day had come. Selene was gone and the old order that had hindered the Hellfire Club for so long was officially dead. Now a new order was ready to take hold. With his hand still firmly on the blade, Moria joined him and placed her hand over his and held the sword high in a ceremonial show of power.

"A new order has officially dawned upon us!" proclaimed the Black Emperor, "At long last, a new Lord Imperium has taken hold. And on this sacred night by this sacred ceremony, I promise unto you my loyal Inner Circle that I shall wield this new power with strength and reason. And unlike my predecessors, I will not abandon the bylaws of the Hellfire Club. Together we shall rule efficiently and responsibly. And our rule shall consume the entire world!"

It was an exciting moment. The new Inner Circle was filled with energy and enthusiasm over this new beginning. It was truly a momentous occasion.

"Here here!" they all proclaimed, "To the new Black Emperor and Empress!"

Charles Xavier smiled and exchanged an affectionate glance with Moria MacTaggart. They had the loyalty and resolve of a new Inner Circle. They had the power and authority of the entire Hellfire Empire. The world would never be the same. Still wielding the sword high, Xavier and Moria stepped down from the throne and joined their fellow elites. They instinctively gathered around him, placing their hands on the sword as well and joining in this moment of triumph.

"May flames of Hellfire burn now and forever more," proclaimed Charles Xavier, "I say unto you, my fellow Inner Circle, Hellfire burns forever!"

"Hellfire burns forever!" they all repeated.

It was official now. A new Inner Circle had seized power. Charles Xavier fought long and hard, systematically taking out every last vestige of the previous Inner Circle. Now his fight was complete. Along the way he picked up new and valuable allies who he had conditioned and trained. Together with their combined power, nothing would stand in their way. No obstacle was great enough for them. No foe was too powerful for them to defeat.

They were driven not by morality, ideals, or petty pipe dreams. They were driven by a desire to instill order in a chaotic world through any means necessary. They were the new Inner Circle, strong and resolute. They celebrated this momentous night with a ritual orgy, full of endless pleasures and bliss. The reign of ignorance and chaos was officially at an end. The reign of the Hellfire Club and had just begun. And the world would be consumed by the flames of Hellfire.

* * *

**Epilogue**

There was an old saying. It is the natural tendency of civilization for liberty to yield and tyranny to take over. Such a saying was prophetic because as time passed, the tyranny of the new Hellfire Club consumed the entire world. Under the leadership of Charles Xavier, the Black Emperor, and his loving Empress, Moria MacTaggart, the new Inner Circle embarked on an unprecedented power grasp that seized control of every facet of world affairs. Without the likes of Selene, Sinister, or any other rival standing in their way, they carried out their will with ruthless efficiency. Anybody who stood in their way was taken out and any threatening force that emerged was either seized or annihilated. Their power was unmatched and their rule was absolute.

It started off by regaining control of all their previous resources. As soon as Forge activated the new and more advanced Cerebrum, Xavier began reasserting control and dictating political, economic, and social events. Those that tried to break away from his network were swiftly taken care of by his Inner Circle elites. Once control was re-established, they took it a step further. They gained control over every bank in every country. Then they used that to control the bureaucracies and powers of other countries. Those that tried to oppose him were run into the ground through bankruptcy and the other elites helped install those loyal to their cause. Once banks and governments were in their pockets, they moved onto big corporations. Through skillful dealing and political muscle, all the major conglomerates and media outlets that Hellfire hadn't controlled before were now under their thumb. They even extended their control to the internet and every computer network in the world, ensuring that information and resources would be distributed according to their whims and plans.

And throughout this process, they kept with Xavier's traditions. They rewarded those who went along with their plans willingly, giving them money and women. And so long as they kept their end they were continually rewarded. But anybody who even tried to resist was taken out swiftly and severely. Before the Hellfire Club and it's kings were just feared. But Xavier didn't just prey on fear. He used respect, admiration, and reason as weapons as well and created an unparalleled network of support that firmly entrenched the Hellfire Club in all worldly affairs.

Their biggest obstacle in the process involved dealing with Earth's major heroes. But shortly after gaining control over banks and governments, the Hellfire Club helped orchestrate a Civil War with factions of heroes fighting against one another over a nation and internationally extensive piece of law called the Superhero Registration Act. It forced heroes to register with the government and do their duties in accordance to the law. Those that resisted, like Captain America, fought long and hard. But in the end the power over government and law won out. Captain America was arrested and many of his followers turned themselves in and registered. Later, Captain America was assassinated by his own ex-girlfriend, Sharon. It was an act Xavier personally orchestrated and it ushered in a new era in control.

Once the heroes were under the thumb of the law, the supreme law enforcement agency, SHIELD, was sanctioned to handle such matters fell. Only this wasn't the same SHIELD of the past. Nick Fury, who ran the organization for years, fell out of favor thanks to an insurrection planned by the Hellfire Club. And after the superhero civil war, a new head was chosen by political officials friendly to the Hellfire Club. The man for the job was none other than Norman Osborn, who helped Xavier a great deal in his dealings with Selene and his expansion of power. It was his way of rewarding his ally, promoting his hero team the Thunderbolts to new status. With Osborn at the helm, the Hellfire Club had law enforcement and the might of every hero from the Avengers to the Fantastic Four under their thumb. The only battles they would ever face were the battles they approved of or orchestrated. It was all a stage, structured like a game of chess. And the Hellfire Club played it well.

Not only did the Inner Circle gain power in terms of authority and influence, but their own physical power grew in new ways as well. Thanks to further development with Forge and the fine scientists at Oscorp, the MGH enhancement drug was perfected so that a single dose would enhance the mutant abilities of a user permanently. Only the Inner Circle was allowed to take it. It allowed them to wield their powers with much greater force. It also gave Moria MacTaggert permanent powers of her own, making her feel she truly belonged in an organization that brokered in such power. In addition to their mutant abilities, Jean also used magic stolen from Selene's private archives to grant everyone in the Inner Circle advanced healing and reduced aging so they could stay young and vibrant many times longer than a normal human lifespan. Unlike other reigns in the Hellfire Club, theirs would not be restricted to their own mortality. Xavier and his elites planned on wielding power for a very long time.

As this new order became entrenched, each member of the Inner Circle found their own place within it. While Xavier and Moria were the emperor and empress, they delegated authority where it was needed to their loyal associates and they carried out their duties with the great efficiency they had been trained to do so.

As Black King, Scott Summers exacted a great deal of authority over the Hellfire Club's extensive armies. Whenever there was a need to direct force into an area, he was the leader that led them all into battle. Whenever an agent of chaos reared its head, he planned and organized effective missions that neutralized the threat and crushed it into oblivion. It was a fitting role for a young man who defined himself with leadership and resolve. But as dedicated and focused as he was, he always found time to enjoy the fruits of his labor with Jean. They continued their weekly ritual of getting away to make love. And over time their love remained strong and powerful. It was a love that gave them strength and purpose.

For Jean Grey, her love with Scott played a significant role in wielding her new power as Black Queen. Since Selene's downfall, she took over reigns as the head sorceress of the Hellfire Club. She dealt with all mystical matters and using the power of the Phoenix along with Selene's old resources, she was able to ensure that the Hellfire Club remained dominant in all magical realms. Even the likes of Dr. Strange, the Sorcerer Supreme, could not match her. Along with her psychic abilities, she was unmatched in her ability to defeat her enemies. And with Scott by her side she had the personal fulfillment she always wanted.

Piotr Rasputin also took strongly to his role as the White Rook. As the Hellfire Club's metal colossus of strength, his imposing stature struck fear into the hearts of many. Among his new duties, he presided over the Hellfire Club's connections into the Russian Mob. Using his newfound authority, he exacted swift and decisive actions that weeded out corrupt and chaotic bloodshed to instill a new order. He made sure that nobody like the monsters who murdered his family would ever get away with such deeds again. Those that tried faced his overpowering muscle.

But despite his stern stature, his spirit was kept softened by Kitty Pryde. She worked closely with him over his duties in Russia. As the Blue Rook, her duties revolved mostly around influencing political circles and playing a stabilizing role in other power circles. She was the brains and Piotr was the muscle. They were the perfect team and working together helped bring them even closer. Every time a deal went their way, they made love to celebrate. And since things always went Hellfire's way, they had plenty of opportunities to celebrate.

For James Poundstar, he kept much of his Apache warrior persona as he took on the responsibilities of Black Knight. He was the overpowering force responsible for taking on skilled foes who dared to fight back against the Hellfire Club's reign. But it wasn't just his warrior skills that came into play. He also oversaw the security and stability of war ravaged regions throughout the world. He continued to make annual pilgrimages to his brother's shrine. It kept his spirit strong as he did his duties. As a warrior, his place was on the battlefield and since the Hellfire Club used war to further their agenda he was responsible for keeping it orderly and effective. And it was a job he excelled in.

Another source of pure Hellfire strength came from Rogue. As Black Rook, she was another unstoppable force kept the foundations of the Hellfire Club strong. Because of her ability to absorb and manage powers, she was tasked with handling all affairs concerning heroes with great superpowers. And thanks to the psychic skills imparted to her by Betsy, she had both brain and physical strength to overcome her foes. And when she wasn't taking on heroes she continued her wild ways with men in the Inner Circle. She was a rogue spirit at heart, fiercely independent with no desire to find a love interest. But her capacity for business and pleasure was great and she couldn't be happier.

And as Rogue became more independent, Mystique focused more on her roles as well. As the Blue Knight, she bore many of the same responsibilities as Warpath. Only she acted more as a secret undercover operative that infiltrated high risk fields. She also occasionally mimicked political and economic officials, helping to bend the public to their whim. She was the perfect soldier of deception. And whenever she went on an assignment, her lover Wolverine was never too far behind. They worked frequently together and looked out for each other. They made a formidable team and even adopted Kitty and Piotr's ritual of making love after successful missions. For Raven Darkholm, it was the kind of power and control over her life she wanted. And having her kids and a lover like Logan made all her struggle worth while.

As for Logan himself, being the White Knight was the perfect role for him. He was one of the Hellfire Club's ultimate assassins. He was sent into areas that demanded only the best of skills. And Logan was the best at what he did and frequently left a bloody trail in his wake. In addition to taking down enemies of the Hellfire Club, Charles Xavier made good on his word to help him get back at those who wronged him. Over the years he used Hellfire resources to round up former officials of Weapon X including Dr. Cornelius and General Wraith. Then with help from Moria and Jean, he made sure they were tortured to death to pay for their crimes. It was a very satisfying way to get revenge. And when he wasn't dwelling on the past, he was enjoying himself in the present with Raven. Their love grew strong over time and they remained the most lethal pair in the world.

Along with Logan, Laura Kinney shared in the roles of the White Knight. Like Logan, she was one of the Hellfire Club's ultimate assassins. She took on targets with a small margin for error. And like she had in another life, she never failed. Only she wasn't just a tool in the Inner Circle. She took part in making decisions and judgments about targets. It was a liberating feeling, being so in power of her life. It allowed her to be who she was and embrace her nature, which she long accepted was that of a killer. But she always made sure she maintained her human side. Julian Keller helped a great deal with that, teaching her to love and embrace the feelings she had been denied. They grew very close over the years and continued and continued to learn more from him every day.

Being such a big part of Laura's life, Julian Keller sometimes found it hard to divide his time between his lover and his duties. As Red Rook, he took on a more business oriented role. With his parents and background as a guide, he helped manage and dictate day-to-day operations in many Hellfire organizations like X-Industrial. He was a solid manager, taking on Xavier's qualities of a stern yet reasonable manager. It was enough to make his parents proud. But when he wasn't managing, he was providing help in field missions. Laura trusted him a great deal to watch her back when Logan wasn't around and he did so dutifully at every turn. There were still parts of their relationship that were strange, but they made it work well. After all, he did have a special appreciation for excitement.

Other family affairs in the Hellfire Club evolved as well. Pietro Maximoff took strongly to his role as White King, carrying himself with the power and authority that would have made his father proud. He didn't have Magneto's overbearing presence, but he did have his resolve. He oversaw numerous governmental and legal operations, specializing mostly in mutant affairs. He made sure that mutants didn't get too rebellious and humans didn't get to overbearing. The conflict his father always warned about was apparent, but it would unfold only as the Hellfire Club saw fit. And he maintained a close relationship with his half-sister, Lorna every step of the way to remind him that he was not the same heartless bastard as Magneto.

Lorna Dane in her role as the Green Rook, helped Pietro with many of his affairs involving mutants. Only her specialty was more on the business side. She organized programs that got mutants involved in Hellfire based industries, using their powers to not only make a profit for the organization but make Pietro's job a little easier by making mutants a potent social force. They frequently collaborated and grew quite close over the years. Even after Loran's mother passed away due to complications with her illness, she remained strong and resolute in her role at the Hellfire Club as both an operative and a family member.

In a similar role, Sam Guthrie took well to his duties as the Red King. With strong leadership skills and a careful nature, he was the driving force behind many of the industries that helped the Hellfire Club acquire and use natural resources. He made sure that all the oil, gas, minerals, and other materials were under the Hellfire Club's control. Growing up in a coal mining town, it was a job he was well-prepared for. And whenever it was necessary to seize resources, he would lead the charge. Even after the passing of his father, he kept his composure. He took care of his family and maintained his role. They never knew what he became, but it was all for the better.

Bobby Drake in his role as Blue Bishop had a variety of roles. He was not someone who restricted himself to one focused set of duties. He often participated in a number of areas. On the bureaucratic side, he was a major force in managing the Hellfire Club's connections to public policies on local and state levels. He made sure they all acted in accordance to Hellfire protocols. He also acted as an operative in the field with Scott's mercenary forces and Warpath's ground forces. His ice powers and the way he used them made him a valuable asset in every field and he was always looking for now ways to use them. And in the Hellfire club, he could take advantage of every opportunity.

For Jubilation Lee, number crunching and business was not her thing. As Yellow Bishop, her specialty was culture and public perceptions. She helped dictate the forces of popular culture in accordance with Hellfire bylaws. Music, art, and culture all fell under her domain and she could make sure that certain aspects didn't instill too much chaos or uncertainty within the masses. It was a job she loved because she got to manipulate the lives of celebrities and culture icons, ensuring they were kept in line and never deviated from a set plan. And for a girl who grew up in a world where image and perception was everything, it was an appropriate and fitting way for her to make her mark on this world.

But of all the young second generation recruits to enter the Inner Circle no one made more headway than Danielle Moonstar. For her role in helping Xavier deceive Selene, she gained the title of Red Queen and wielded authority the likes of which she never imagined. She remained close to Xavier and Moria, who helped teach her to wield power. Her specialty was crafting big events. Her illusion casting powers played a major role in creating conditions that the Hellfire Club could exploit without having to go through the mess of using real people and puppets. She became a master manipulator and came to cherish her illusions as an artist would cherish their work. It was a great culmination in her otherwise complicated life. The only illusion she could never cast was one that understated her own power.

But Danielle wasn't the only one who used her powers to create big events. Ororo Munroe, the White Queen, took on such roles as well. She came to be the Inner Circle's hold on nature itself. She dictated weather patterns to stir events and propagate affairs that the Hellfire Club could exploit. She was largely responsible for pushing the big Global Warming scare, which the Hellfire Club used to gain control over industry and governments. And when she wasn't shifting winds, she was also helping out in the world of crime. While she rarely did jobs anymore, she watched over various criminal enterprises including that of the long defeated Kingpin to make sure it all acted in accordance to the Hellfire Club's agenda. She also continued her relationship with Remy. As partners in crime, they were quite a duo. But as partners in power, they were so much more.

Remy always worked close with Ororo in his new role as Black Bishop. His duties were also heavily involved with crime. His specialty was the thieving world. He presided over many secretive circles of skilled criminals and thieves. He even managed to end the war between the Thieves Guild and Assassin's Guild, but not before much of his family perished. But he didn't let that stop him. All criminal groups from the Hand to the guilds were closely monitored by him and his allies. He also routinely performed heists against potential rivals or just for the fun of it. He was still a man who liked to have a good time and kept Ororo's spirits light in the way he spent time with her. Life always had a way of dealing him wildcards, but Ororo was one he always cherished.

Deadpool was an unusual case for the Inner Circle. Because of his mental instability, it was difficult to give him the kind of authority that required a reasonable mind to work with. But for his contributions he did earn himself the title of Red Knight and Xavier made sure he got a chance to use it. In this role he worked closely with Warpath and Logan. Whenever a job required a 'special touch' or just needed a big explosion, he was the one who they turned to. He also worked closely with Ororo and Remy in managing the criminal and mercenary trades. While he did his job well, he continued to be obnoxious and annoying at times. But he still got laughs out of the others. It was just another one of the trademark duties for the merc with a mouth, keeping things light hearted in a place like the Hellfire Club.

Rahne Sinclair was someone else whose role in the Hellfire Club was varied. As Red Bishop, she presided over managerial, bureaucratic, and combat affairs. She followed her mother closely, working with her on matters involving carrying out orders to various parts of the Hellfire network and helping her out around the lab. She also continued bounty hunting for Warpath and Logan, working closely with the Hellfire Club's mercenary force and exerting significant authority in the field. She remained passionate about her feral nature, remaining a hunter at heart. She never forgot what she learned from Hank McCoy and embraced both her human and animal ways.

The former pawns turned elites all took strongly to their new roles in the Inner Circle. As time went on they became entrenched, wielding authority and power without reservation. They did as they were taught to do. They did whatever was necessary to ensure order and propagate the power of the Hellfire Club. With their help eventually there was little they didn't control in the world. And even with all their power and resources, they still found themselves planning for the future.

A number of family members from the elites found their way into the Hellfire Club. Chief among them was Piotr's sister, Illyana Rasputin. She became Jean Grey's apprentice, taking regular lessons from her in the mystic arts. Her power quickly grew and with her help she and Jean managed to take out Dr. Strange, the Sorcerer Supreme, and the Ancient One. In time Illyana would take full reigns as a Hellfire mystic, taking on new challenges in magic and further expanding the Hellfire Club's power. But she wasn't the only one to establish herself.

Sam's little sister, Paige Guthrie, also joined the Hellfire Club. Shortly after the death of their father, her mother worried about what she was going to do with her life. She urged Sam to give her the same chance he got. Xavier didn't need much convincing and allowed Paige a place at the Academy of Tomorrow. There she began her path into the Hellfire Club and Sam was there to guide her, mentoring her and preparing her for everything she was about to face. Like him she had a long way to go, but he was confident she would become every bit as skilled and efficient as he was in carrying out the will of hellfire.

When they were not out wielding their power and indulging in the luxurious pleasures of the Hellfire Club, the Inner Circle was spending time with their children. The twelve mutant infants created by Sinister proved to be full of potential. With their powers already growing, they worked to raise them as true children of Hellfire. They spent much of their early years in the Academy of Tomorrow. As they came of age they began schooling and training. It wasn't long before they were carrying themselves like their parents. They were young, but one day Xavier and his loyal elites hoped to see them taking a strong role in the Inner Circle. It was a fitting way to grow this powerful organization from the bottom up.

Over the years, many other young mutants would join in the vast Hellfire network. Some worked in their various businesses and industries while others joined the Academy of Tomorrow or took part in midlevel jobs in the Hellfire Club. Anyone with power had a chance to enjoy the fruits of the Hellfire Club. But all those in the Inner Circle remained dominant. There were, however, those with less glamorous positions.

Unlike the other former pawns, Emma Frost remained locked in her position for a good long while after the new Inner Circle was established. As someone who aided Selene in her insurrection, she had to serve out her punishment. She continued with her old duties of managing Hellfire's vast financial resources and managing the Hellfire Club's army of sex workers, both as a teacher and a participant. But she did have to serve in other ways. She went back to doing regular shifts at Club Hellfire, sleeping with clients and extracting business secrets. She was also required to regularly sleep with the men of the Inner Circle and do so in any way they pleased. And unlike before, she couldn't dominate them as she once did. The sex wasn't the hard part though. Much of her penance was done under Scott and Jean's direction.

As directed, she gave regular 'repayments' to Scott in the spirit of the one she planned with him that fateful night her downfall began. She went on trips to hotels with him where she would dress up and pamper him with sexual payments. He always organized them along with Jean. At times she had to carry out submissive roles in doing her part to satisfy him. But it was all part of her job. She often had to carry out her own tasks with Jean as well. She had to participate in some of her magic rituals that involved sex or sexual fluids. It was humiliating sometimes, but she did what she had to do. She also engaged in regular three ways with them. And during those times she often had to watch Scott and Jean make love, which didn't bother her as much anymore. She had since moved on from her feelings for Scott. Slowly, she rebuilt her friendship with him. She even got on better terms with Jean. Petty rivalries and bitterness no longer mattered to her. All that mattered was getting back in Hellfire's good graces and she would do so for as long as she had to. At least she had a chance to repent. Selene's other minions weren't so lucky.

Warren Worthington III, once heir to the Worthington fortune, was now nothing more than a mindless figurehead. As a Hellfire Slave his only job was to obey what the Inner Circle told him to do and they instructed him to run Worthington Industries as they saw fit. When his father, Warren Jr., found out about his son's predicament he was shocked and appalled. But Xavier offered his sincerest apologies. This is the fate his son had to face. While Warren didn't like it and rebelled against it, Xavier reluctantly probed his mind and changed his perceptions so he would not care. He and his wife lived out the rest of their days in the Bahamas while Warren took over. And in addition to being a figurehead for Worthington Industries, he was also subjected to regular humiliation in sex rituals. But he never complained. He just whimpered weakly and accepted his fate.

Always near Warren was mindless form of Psylocke. After Rogue let Betsy's spirit go, the body remained. And since such a beautiful and skilled body was such a waste, Jean performed a spell on it to turn it into a mindless drone. She wasn't like the others in that she retained no sense of self or personality. She didn't even whimper or cower. She had no emotions. That was okay with the Inner Circle. That didn't stop them from using her like they did with Warren. But because of her incoherent state she made a good obedient minion on missions and a submissive sex worker. While Betsy Braddock may be gone, the body she left behind served them well.

Alex Summers endured great hardship as well. As a Hellfire Slave, he was frequently ordered about by Scott. He had him carry out menial and sometimes degrading tasks such as being his personal assistant during his duties and helping him in elaborate sex acts with Jean. But like Warren, Alex was also forced to endure constant humiliation at the hands of the Inner circle. He was often the submissive in S&M parties and even used to entertain female clients. But despite his sorry state, Lorna continued to watch after him. Her feelings for him remained despite his deeds with Selene and his feelings for her lingered as well even into his punishment. They still made love and shared moments together, but Alex was always reminded that he was to submit to anybody. His rebellious days were over.

Like Alex, Wanda Maximoff also slaved away under the Inner Circle. With no power or magic, she was often used by Jean and Illyana in their rituals as a test subject or often victim. She also went back to working Club Hellfire, playing the part of a submissive in S&M acts. She didn't cower or tremble as much as the others, but she was very obedient even when other elites humiliated her. But she got some reprieve. She was watched over constantly by Pietro and Lorna, who still saw her as family and gave her breaks now and then. Her lover Kurt also watched over her constantly. Even though their love had been born in darkness, it still remained strong and when they got breaks from their lives as slaves they shared plenty of moments together.

Kurt Wagner's state was somewhat better considering the others. Even though he did play a large part in helping Selene, he did turn on her in the end and did retain some of his spirit as a result. He had more will and personality, but remained docile and weak. He was subjugated to menial tasks in the Inner Circle such as bookkeeping and cleaning. He was also used in special mystical rituals that required his demon presence. He also worked alongside Rogue and Mystique when they needed him. He provided an unwavering loyalty and obedience and even though it was imposed somewhat, he owed them as such for pulling him back from the brink.

As for the once proud and perfect Monet St. Croix, she wasn't so perfect anymore. Stripped of her will, she was only the perfect slave now. And because she retained some of her powers such as durability and strength, she was subject to special kinds of humiliation. She was often whipped and beaten by guards and paying clients in way that would have seriously injured others. And while she winced and groaned in pain every step of the way, she never resisted. She endured all the punishment without question, working Club Hellfire and occasionally putting on shows for the other members of the Inner Circle. It was a far cry from a woman who once wielded such status and authority. To be a slave now as truly the worst punishment.

Roberto Da Costa's fall was similar. The once prominent pawn saw himself reduced to a mindless drone whose main role was to act a decoy on missions with the others and pleasure the Hellfire women as they desired. His loss of authority and drive hit his father, Emmanuel Da Costa hard. He condemned Xavier for treatment of his son. And despite Xavier's reasoning, he threatened to strike back. That didn't last long. To further punish Roberto, Xavier ordered that he kill his own father. And since had no free will, he did so without question. Since Emmanuel was an ally Xavier made the death quick and painless. In his place he used Roberto as a figurehead to promote stability of the Hellfire Club's South American operations. In a ways he did finally match his father's greatness, but only as a puppet. And that was a truly the gravest punishment he could have gotten.

Tabitha Smith, who didn't have the luxury of such connections, endured far worse. Because of her devious ways she would live out her days as a submissive sex worker. Only she just wouldn't work Club Hellfire. She would also walk the dirty and dangerous streets of New York or other locales the Inner Circle dictated, making her wear the most revealing of clothing and having her serve clients as a weak and damaged girl. Rape for her was a fact of life. And when she wasn't doing sex work she was being humiliated by the Inner Circle in the same way, her body and image exploited for their own amusement. For someone who used to take such pleasure in toying with others, it was a degrading yet fitting punishment.

Last but not least of those enduring such harsh punishment was the former Black Queen herself, Selene. She was singled out for the most brutal of treatment. She spent most of her time locked in a dungeon naked and curled up on the floor. Whenever the Inner Circle or any guest felt like it, they could go down and rape her. If that wasn't enough, they could blow off steam by beating her up, whipping her, and inflicting upon her the kind of torment she used to inflict on her own enemies. Xavier even sent her to Nova Roma where the newly anointed Queen Amara had her tortured in raped in the same way she had done to her and her family. Nearly every citizen rejoiced in her humiliation. And because her immorality was left, she healed from any wound that was inflicted. But the pain was still felt. So no matter how much she suffered, she would recover from it to suffer some more.

She became a special slave in the Inner Circle. She was frequently sent to Club Hellfire where men and sometimes women would pay top dollar to do anything they wanted to her. Usually with sex workers, there were strict limits on what clients could do with the women. But Selene had no such restrictions. Anything was open. She endured some of the most disgusting, humiliating treatment in the history of the Hellfire Club. But no matter how much punishment she endured, it was never enough to atone for the many crimes she committed over the ages. She had a long way to go and would probably never fully repent. As a result she would spend the rest of her immortal life as nothing more than a mindless slave. For a former queen, it was the absolute worst she could have endured.

For all these accomplishments and retributions, none were more satisfied with the state of the new order than Charles Xavier and Moria enemies had been punished. Their allies had been rewarded. And they achieved everything they set out to do all those years ago.

Moria MacTaggart took strongly to her role as Black Empress. Ruling alongside Xavier, she played a big part in overseeing and dictating the day to day operations of the Hellfire Club. She also took over the role of chief Hellfire scientists in wake of the deaths of Mr. Sinister and Hank McCoy. She operated out of Sinister's old lab, working closely with Forge on advanced technology to aid their organization in whatever way possible. Science was still her passion, but it often had to remain second place after Charles. Ruling with him as Empress made it clear to her that he was the love of her life. For a woman whose spirits had been damaged by the sins of her late husband, it was a true turnaround. She was stronger in every way and now enhanced with mutant abilities. Moria came full circle in the end, having seen the dream through with Charles and remaining a part of it every step of the way.

As for Charles Xavier himself, life as Black Emperor was good if not surreal at times. At last he could wield power with impunity from the likes of Selene, Sinister, or agents of chaos like his monster of a stepfather. As the most powerful mind in the world, nobody could escape his grasp. The course of all affairs in civilization would go through him. He was the one guiding the course of history. He didn't care for peace, ideals, or morals. All that mattered was an orderly world. Every man, woman, and child human and mutant alike lived with a distinct presence of fear and anxiety in the back of their minds. It was that distinct presence instilled psychically by Charles that bound them to his will. If anybody opposed him, they were destroyed. If anybody hindered him, he took them out without a second thought. He was the true Lord Imperium of the world. He once vowed to instill order in a chaotic world and as he had proven time and again, he was a man of his word.

So it all came together. Charles Xavier and his Hellfire Club ruled over all. A secret and shady tyranny had consumed the world. It had taken years to unfold and now there was no going back. A secret group of powerful mutants led by a man named Charles Xavier now controlled every meaningful facet of civilization. There was no escaping the truth. The grim reality had set in. The Inner Circle had won and world now turned by the whims of Hellfire.

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**The End**

**AN: There you have it. The final installment of the New Blood trilogy is complete. This has been one of the most interesting and ambitious stories I've ever written. There was so much I wanted to do and I couldn't be happier how it played out. I would like to thank everybody who took the time to review this series. And I urge every reader to take the time to leave a review. I worked long and hard on this story and I would really appreciate some feedback. Please send it to me via email or post a review on the fanfiction website. And remember, you can see a number of uncensored scenes in the extended version on adultfanfiction. **

**As stated previously, the end of this story marks the end of Slickboy444. From here on out, I will write no more stories under this name. The stories will remain up, but I will not be adding anything else to them. It has been a difficult time for me and I'm still recovering. I deeply apologize to all the fans out there who have been following my stories since the beginning. But I cannot do this anymore, at least not as Slickboy444. I do have some plans that I'm hoping to pursue, but if they do come ot pass they wil be under a new screen name and not Slickboy444. If and when that happens, I will make a note on my profile and send out as many messages as I can. But for now, this is it. New Blood is the end. So from the bottom of my heart thank you all very much for reading. I really appreciate it. I wish everybody the best and until next time, this is Slickboy444 saying goodbye once and for all.**

_You have the power. It's just a matter of how you use it.  
_


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